Execute Polavaram project at original capacity: Andhra Congress chief highlights "injustice" against Girija tribe

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 27 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Congress President YS Sharmila has demanded that the Chandrababu Naidu government finish the Polavaram Project in its original capacity, according to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014, whose section 90 entitles it to be a national project.
She said that the plans to reduce the project size, and by extension, its storage capacity from 194 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) to 114 TMC was "gross injustice".
"Be it Jagan Mohan Reddy or Chandrababu Naidu, they are acting in coalition with the BJP, and everybody is scheming to reduce the project size. This is a gross injustice. We demand that Chandrababu Naidu and PM Modi finish the project and execute the project at the original 194 TMC water capacity," Sharmila told ANI.
She further narrated the "injustice" being faced by Girijans from the Girija tribe who have given up their lands for the state government to realise the Polavaram project. Of the 1,60,000 families who have given up their land, not even 10 per cent have received any benefits, with rehabilitation packages provided to less than 9,000 families.
"Together, we have gathered with the Polavaram Project victims. They have come here to explain to us how injustice is being done to them. 1 lakh 6 thousand families have given up their lands to make the Polavaram Project a reality. After almost 20 years, even ten per cent of those families have not received any benefits. Rehabilitation packages have been given to fewer than 9 thousand families, so many are still waiting for the government. Girijans, from the Girija tribe, have given up their lands," Sharmila added.
According to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, "The Polavaram Irrigation Project is on the river Godavari near Ramayyapeta village of Polavaram Mandal, about 34 km upstream of the Kovvur-Rajahmundry road-cum-rail bridge and 42 km upstream of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage, where river emerges out of the last range of the Eastern Ghats and enters the plains in West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh."
Over a month ago, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that the state government has the responsibility of meting out justice to the displaced who sacrificed everything for the project.
"Rehabilitation of all the displaced will be completed before the water is released from the project. The project will be inaugurated only after that," Chandrababu Naidu, who was on a visit to Polavaram, said during an interaction with the displaced. (ANI)