Vijayawada, March 2, 2026: A civil society group has called for an independent international review panel to audit the Polavaram multipurpose irrigation project's safety, focusing on the diaphragm wall's integrity amid concerns over design changes and construction quality.
Centre for Liberty raised alarms about potential risks to downstream communities from alleged engineering violations, including unapproved alterations to foundation levels in Gap-I and past issues like the 2023 guide bund failure.
They urged the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, Central Water Commission, and Andhra Pradesh government to form the panel immediately, disclose key test results and logs, and pause certain embankment works until safety is verified.
The group warned of approaching the Supreme Court if demands go unmet.
