CAG audit brings out discrepancies

Affected villages under polavaram project 

Hyderabad:  Huge discrepancies have come to light in the finalisation of  the submerged villages under major irrigation projects in undivided Andhra Pradesh including Polavaram multi – purpose  project.  The CAG report said that in nine out of 10 projects, audit observed discrepancies between the Commissioner’s (Relief and Rehabilitation) report and Gazette notification on submerged villages. At Polavaram project, after conducting project survey, the Irrigation and Command Area Development (I and CAD) Department notified 412 villages as affected villages, Later, The department removed 136 from 412 notified villages from the list of submerged areas. 

However, these villages were yet to be de- notified till May 2014.  Reasons for incorrect declaration of these villages were also not furnished by the Department when called for by audit. Similarly, at Gundlakamma project, the Commissioner ( R and R ) declared 12 villages as submerged but the gazette notification put the figure at 31. At Pulichintala ,  as many as 28 villages came under submerged area as against 21 in the gazette.  Thotapally – gazette notification notified as many as 66 villages as submerged but the Department revised it later to only 20 villages. 

The number of villages as per the submerged at Vamsadhara project was 20 but 66 villages were mentioned in gazette notification.  The figures in terms of the total number of submerged villages also varied at Veligonda , Bheema , flood flow canal and Yellampally irrigation projects.  The reasons for discrepancy had not been explained by the Department, the report said. On the other hand, the Socio- Economic Survey (SES) which has to be conducted for identification and categorisation of members in the affected zones for extending R and R benefits was delayed. 

The audit report said the delays were ranging from five to 48 months in conducting SES.  At Polavaram project, the Department informed that the SES completed but the date of completion was not furnished.  In the case of Veligonda and Bheema projects, the SES was completed with a delay of 45 and 27 months respectively. 

 The report also found that land acquisition was completed for only 174 R and R centres out of total 439 for the irrigation projects. The infrastructure facilities like roads, drinking water facilities and electricity was completed only in 97 out of  174 centres.  The delay in R and R implementation was due to the deficiencies in declaration of affected zone,  delays in conducting SES and approval of SES results and  non- preparation of comprehensive plans.    

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