Naidu is reducing the Polavaram project to a water supply structure, claims Sharmila

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu over the Polavaram project, accusing him of deliberately weakening the state’s lifeline project to please the central government.

Taking to the social media platform ‘X’, Ms Sharmila alleged that instead of ensuring the completion of the project at the originally approved Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 45.72 metres, Mr Naidu accepted completion only up to 41.15 metres, which she said would greatly reduce its intended benefits and effectively convert the multi-purpose project into a mere water reservoir structure.

It claimed that the move was aimed at avoiding nearly ₹32,000 crore in rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) expenditure. She criticized the Chief Minister for emphasizing how many times he had revised the project, while not demanding full funding and completion from the Centre.

Published – 14 Jul 2026 23:34 IST