Amid the Lok Sabha elections, the Polavaram water project has taken centre stage with the political parties including the issue in their manifestoes and promising to complete the same if voted to power. Both the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), the Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its alliance partner Jana Sena Party (JSP) have vowed to complete the project and set deadlines as well. The BJP did not release any State-specific manifesto, though it is an alliance partner of the TDP-JSP in Andhra Pradesh, and the trio forms part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
From the Ramapada Sagar project conceived in 1941 to Polavaram, the project has a history of more than eight decades but eludes the people even today. The ruling and opposition parties, the State and the Centre resort to blame game and mudslinging over inordinate delay in its completion. Even as the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) is yet to be completed, the fate of the project hangs in the balance as a portion of the diaphragm wall washed away in the 2019, and 2020 floods. It is still unclear how to proceed further on the diaphragm wall, and construct the main dam, the earth-cum-rockfill (ECRF) dam.
Now, the general elections are slated to be held on May 13, and all eyes are on the Polavaram Assembly constituency, though it may not be a referendum on the governments or political parties in the fray. The general mood of the public is that the TDP or YSRCP governments have played with the sentiments and lives of people, while the BJP at the Centre too has to be blamed. They have a reason: The Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) package is yet to be taken to a logical conclusion. A majority of Polavaram evacuees/Project Displaced Families (PDFs) did not receive compensation and alternative houses were not provided to them.
Compensation not paid
Both displaced tribals and non-tribals recall that compensation was not paid to many of them though land to land was given to tribals. They also recall the blame game between the YSRCP and the TDP and promises made by YSRCP president and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy during his visit to Polavaram. Mr. Jagan Reddy promised to pay a compensation of ₹10 lakh per family, higher than the ₹6.86 lakh promised by the TDP government. But, neither ₹6.86 lakh nor ₹10 lakh was paid, they point out.
The ruling YSRCP government claimed that the TDP government in its five years had paid compensation to only 3,073 persons and released ₹193 crore, while the Jagan Reddy government, in its three years, paid more — ₹1,773 crore to 10,330 persons. If it were the scenario, for whom do they vote? The people, more particularly PDFs, in the constituency are divided, clueless, and have no other option. “On one hand, we are receiving the benefits under various welfare schemes, on the other hand, the government has failed to pay compensation, complete housing and fulfill other obligations,” says Nagaraj, a voter.
A total of 371 habitations in composite East and West Godavari districts were affected due to the project, and more than 1.05 lakh families were affected. As many as 23 villages in Polavaram mandal were vacated and villagers were shifted to R & R colonies. For the PDFs from Velerupadu and Kukkunur mandal, the R & R colonies were constructed near Jangareddygudem town, which comes under the purview of the Chinthalapudi Assembly segment under the Eluru Lok Sabha seat. More than 22,000 families were to be relocated at Challavarigudem (Taduvai colony). The government failed to complete all the houses. Interestingly, the housing for Rudramkota villagers, which submerges once the project was complete, did not start.
Unoccupied houses
Most of the houses constructed for non-tribals were not occupied, and only about 300 families opted to shift to Taduvai Colony. Also, more than 1,300 people have preferred retaining their old address on voter IDs. “We are afraid of changing the address as we lose the nativity in Polavaram,” says a senior citizen, who is relocated from Velerupadu.
Pouring out their woes, the residents point out that there were no proper roads and basic infrastructural facilities. Only one RTC bus plies — once in the morning and in thr evening. The schools and hospital which were promised remain on the papers. The R&R Colony falls under the Chintalapudi Assembly Constituency. Leave alone the Eluru Lok Sabha constituency candidates, neither the Chintalapudi Assembly candidates nor the Polavaram candidates visited the colony so far. “The political parties are least bothered about evacuees. To whom do we have to vote? Why should we vote?” is a big question before them.
Andhra Pradesh Samagrabhivriddhi Adhyayana Vedika convener T. Lakshmi Narayana says lack of political will was one of the main reasons for the inordinate delay in the completion of the project. The works started during Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure as Chief Minister of combined Andhra Pradesh gained momentum after 2014 when N. Chandrababu Naidu assumed office. The Centre too played spoilsport. The project would have been completed had the Centre approved Detailed Project Report (DPR)-2 and released funds in time. The YSRCP government could not mount pressure on the Centre though it had adequate MPs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, he said.
Tribals are a majority with nearly 1.25 lakh voters, and Kapus, Kammas, and OBC communities together account for around one lakh voters. The Polavaram Assembly Constituency is set to witness an intense battle of the ballot.
