YS Jagan reiterates State Govt’s commitment providing compensation to Polavaram Oustees

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday reiterated that the State Government was committed to the promise given to the people of the flood affected areas regarding Polavaram compensation. He also announced that there would be good news from the Centre on the Polavaram Irrigation Project by the end of August.

YS Jagan had undertaken a two-day visit to four flood-hit Godavari districts. The Chief Minister’s tour of the flood-affected areas in Godavari districts assumed political significance in the wake of TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s visit to Eluru on Monday. Naidu was also likely to visit the Polavaram Irrigation Project.

“It is the YSRCP Government which has taken up the lidar survey and the Center is convinced of it. We are expecting approval from the Central Cabinet by the end of this month. The State Government’s proposals have already been sent from the Polavaram Project Authority to the CWC. From there they will be sent to the Ministry of Jal Shakti,” YS Jagan said.

At Kunavaram in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, YS Jagan interacted with flood affected victims and enquired about the facilities being provided for them. The Chief Minister said that he came to interact with them after a week so that the flood relief operations would not be hampered. “The State Government has no desire to divert the flood relief amount. Steps are being taken to provide assistance for all the victims, including supply of the essential commodities. Any flood affected families which are not provided with the essential commodities and Rs 2,000 can directly complain to him,” YS Jagan said.

The Chief Minister said that he was aware of the Polavaram package issue. “In a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I appealed to him to provide the compensation directly to the accounts of the beneficiaries in a transparent manner. I also request the Prime Minister to deposit the compensation to the Polavaram Irrigation Project victims to benefit them, but not for claiming any credit to my Government,” he said.

YS Jagan said that apart from the Rs.6.8 lakh compensation provided by the Centre, the State Government would pay another Rs.3.2 lakh compensation to the oustees soon after the Centre begins the process. He said that along with the filling of water in Polavaram step by step, justice would also be done to the oustees in a phased manner. A lidar survey was underway for the people of the flooded villages and brought to the attention of the Centre, he said.

The Chief Minister said that several people told him that many villages were not in the 41.15 metre contour but were not in a condition to go if there was a flood. In this regard, a lidar survey would be conducted to identify such villages. In the first phase of the Polavaram project, even if the water was stopped, 48 villages would be included in the cutoff list, and they would lose connectivity with the other villages. To identify them, a lidar survey was carried out in 32 villages and 48 habitations were identified and their details were sent to the Centre, he said.

YS Jagan said that efforts would be made to fill up to 41.15 metres of water in the first phase, and according to Central Water Commission (CWC) Dam Safety, water had to be filled in three phases in the project. According to CWC dam safety standards, water would have to be filled at a height of 41.15 meters in the first phase. Apart from that, R&R packages would be paid to everyone who comes within the contour of 41.15 metres. He also announced that the compensation to be paid to the victims of 48 residential areas belonging to 32 villages at a height of 41.15 meters would be paid in the first phase, he said.

YS Jagan said that the State Government would give whatever compensation was decided for the oustees in previous Governments rule. He also said that the package was not possible as per the prices for 2013-14 and we were convincing the Centre to get compensation for the oustees. On the other hand, the Chief Minister had assured to provide another Rs 3.5 lakh compensation for the lands purchased for Rs 1.5 lakh at the time Polavaram Irrigation Project works commenced.