Naidu reducing Polavaram project to water-storage structure, alleges Sharmila - The HinduPublished - July 14, 2026 11:34 pm IST - VIJAYAWADAAndhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y. S. Sharmila on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) launched a sharp 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 social media platform ‘X’, Ms. Sharmila alleged that instead of ensuring the project’s completion at its originally approved Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 45.72 metres, Mr. Naidu was accepting completion only up to 41.15 metres, which she claimed would significantly reduce its intended benefits and effectively convert the multipurpose project into a mere water-storage structure.She alleged that the move was aimed at avoiding nearly ₹32,000 crore in Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) expenditure. She criticised the Chief Minister for highlighting the number of times he reviewed the project while failing to demand full funding and completion from the Centre.Published - July 14, 2026 11:34 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }