Perspectives on Polavaram: A Major Irrigation Project of Godavari

Biksham Gujja is a policy Advisor of Global Freshwater Programme at WWF International, Gland, Switzerland. S. Ramakrishna is a Freelance Journalist based at Hyderabad and former chief reporter of Indian Express daily. Vinod Goud is the Project Coordinator of WWF International - ICRISAT Project ""Dialogue on Water, Food and Environment"" in India. Sivaramakrishna is head of NGO, SAKTHI, an environmental activist group working in Andhra Pradesh. Ponnala Lakshmaiah: Minister for Major Irrigation, Government of Andhra Pradesh. Satish Chandra, IAS: Secretary, Major Irrigation and Command Area Development and In-Charge of Polavaram project in Government of Andhra Pradesh. Sana Maruthi: Telugu Desam Party MLA from Choppadandi, and former chief engineer in Irrigation Department. He represented TDP at all-party meetings on ""Jala Yagnam"" conducted by the government. B.V. Raghavulu: CPM Politburo member and State Secretary. He is leading CPM agitation against Polavaram project in Khammam district. Kolli Nageshwara Rao: Senior CPI leader and president of Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham. He some time ago led an agitation for completion of irrigation projects in Andhra Pradesh. N.V.S.S. Prabhakar: BJP state secretary, party's representative in government discussion on irrigation projects. V. Prakash is a Spokesperson and General Secretary of Telangana Rastra Samithi party, Andhra Pradesh. Vemulapalli Venkatramaiah: Senior CPI (ML) New Democracy leader. He is writing on Polavaram project related issues. Biksham Gujja is a Policy, Adviser, Global Freshwater Programme, WWF-International, Gland, Switzerland and also Visiting Scientist and head of WWF-ICRISAT Dialogue Project, ICRISAT, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh. Vinod Goud: Project Coordinator and Visiting Scientist, WWF-ICRISAT Dialogue Project, ICRISAT, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh. Sraban Kumar Dalai: GIS Coordinator, WWF-ICRISAT Dialogue Project, ICRISAT, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh. T. Hanumantha Rao: Former engineer-in-chief, Andhra Pradesh Government and consultant to United Nations (OPS & IFAD, Rome), Hyderabad. R. Vidyasagar Rao: Former member of Central Water Commission and author of Neellu-Nizaalu, a Telugu book on irrigation issues in Andhra Pradesh. M. Dharma Rao: Former chief engineer, Government of Andhra Pradesh, president of Vivekananda Seva Samithi (Vikasa) and director of Society for Natural Resources and Rural Development. T. Shivaji Rao: Director of Centre for Environmental Sciences, Gitam College of Engineering, Visakhapatnam. Cherukuri Veeraiah: Former chief engineer, Government of Andhra Pradesh; President of Dr. K. Sriramakrishnaiah Smaraka Seva Samithi, Hyderabad. S. Subrahmanyam: Faculty at Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), Hyderabad. He writes on economic affairs. P. Padmanabha Rao: Faculty at Centre for Economic Studies (CESS), Hyderabad and he writes about geographical issues. He toured Polavaram submergence area. M.L.K. Murthy: Former archaeology professor at Hyderabad Central University. He toured Polavaram submergence area a few years ago. Now he is Director of Centre for Indigeneous Peoples Initiative. G.P. Shukla: Retired IFS official. He has done a study on assessment on reported loss of forest due to submergence in the Polavaram project and related issues. T. Vijayan: A senior journalist with Down To Earth, environmental magazine from New Delhi. K. Balagopal: General Secretary, Human Rights Forum, Hyderabad and activist on Polavaram displacement issues. M. Kodandaram: Professor in Osmania University and activist on Polavaram displacement issues. A.C. Omkar: Geography scholar and activist on displacement issues. J.P. Rao: Associate Professor in Osmania University and activist in movement against Polavaram project. Sivaramakrishna: Director of Sakti, an organisation working for tribal rights. Now he is associated with Polavaram displacement issues. Rebbapragada Ravi: Director of Samata, an organisation working for tribal rights in agency areas. An act