Dummugudem which is also the name of the subdivision headquarters and is 25 km from Bhadrachalam. According to religious stories, here, in Treatayuga, Lord Rama killed 14000 demons headed by the brothers Khara and Dushana. The village was said to be built upon the ashes of these demons. The subdivision is named after Dummugudem (In Telugu 'Dummu' means dust or ash). Here Rama is called the Atmaram
a. It has 80 Villages under it .[1]
Dummugudem barrage across the Godavari River was constructed nearly 150 years back by the famous British India engineer Sir Arthur Cotton who also constructed Dowleswaram and Prakasam barrages.[2] Somehow this barrage / weir is not well known among Andhra Pradesh people. The purpose of this weir was not for diverting the river water into canals but to use as cross over bridge during lean flow season. This weir has lost its relevance after construction of all weather road bridge near Bhadhrachalam town to cross the river. A 25 MW hydroelectric station is under construction to utilise the level drop available across the Dummugudem weir. A major lift irrigation project called Dummugudem Lift Irrigation Scheme is under development drawing water from the barrage pond. Dummugudem to Nagarjunasagar Dam tail pond lift canal is also under construction to transfer surplus Godavari river water to Krishna river.
