Imaginaries of development of Polavaram dam project

Abstract

In recent decades, there has been much discussion on the societal effects of large dams. The National River Linking Project (NRLP), the largest water project now under development in the world that would include the building of multiple dams, has been the subject of much discussion in India. The purpose of the $168 billion project is to link most Indian rivers to a massive water system. As highlighted by Nehru's famous remark that huge dams are "the temples of contemporary India," substantial water infrastructure has historically been discursively tied to imaginaries of development and national progress in the subcontinent. The experiences of people impacted by the construction of dams.  However, these visions clash with reality due to the fact that the displaced people are not only among the most disadvantaged in Indian society but also stand to benefit the least and lose the most from such programmes. Starting with a review of the media coverage given to the Polavaram Project, the first project to be undertaken under the NRLP programme, this paper examines the extent to which such imaginaries remain prevalent in modern political discourse.