HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has termed the fears expressed over the present design of the Polavaram project that it can lead to large-scale submergence of agency areas in Khammam district as "unfounded."

In an informal chat with reporters here on Thursday, Dr. Reddy refuted the claim that construction of Polavaram project would have resulted in more damage in Khammam district during the present flood in the Godavari. He pointed out that the design of any irrigation project was finalised after taking into consideration the maximum flood discharge.

He wondered why objections were being raised against construction of an irrigation project that would serve the larger interests of the people.

Pulichintala

"Nagarjunasagar, Srisailam or Sriramsagar projects would not have become a reality if such objections were taken into consideration," he said.

Dr. Reddy faulted people who approached court on Pulichintala project that led to stoppage of work for some time. Had the works progressed as planned, there would have been a scope for storing 40 tmcft of water now.

The Chief Minister said the Government was concentrating on permanent measures like strengthening the bunds along major rivers that would involve expenditure in excess of Rs. 1,000 crores. It had sought the Centre's help in this regard and the response was positive, he said.

In this context, he said though the then Government in 1986 had planned to strengthen the bunds along Godavari spanning 465 km with Rs. 400 crores, works up to a length of only 80 km could be completed. "Had the bunds been strengthened the situation would have been different today," he said.

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