Vice President suggests environment ministry should consider 'stop work order' on Polavaram

Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday called Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar to Rajya Sabha and suggested to him that his ministry should consider keeping in abeyance the 'stop work order' on the Polavaram Multipurpose Project by another 2 years in the nation's interest.

"Vice President of India and Chairman, Rajya Sabha called the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, today to his Chamber in the Rajya Sabha and suggested to him that the Ministry of Environment should consider keeping in abeyance the 'stop work order' on Polavaram Multipurpose Project by another two years in the interest of the nation in general and Andhra Pradesh as Polavaram Project is declared as a National Project and also is the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh," an official statement said.

The last 'stop work order' has been kept in abeyance for one year from July 3, 2018 to July 2, 2019.

Prior to that 'stop work order' had been kept in abeyance thrice in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18.

The Vice President impressed upon Javadekar the need to allow the work to be continued on the project without any hindrance.

The Minister has positively responded and assured that the matter would be given due consideration.

Polavaram Project is an under-construction multi-purpose National project on the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh. It is designed to overcome the deficit in water in the country. The project is entirely funded by the Centre and is also known as National River-Linking Project.