BJD MLAs stall House, march to Raj Bhavan on Polavaram issue

The ruling BJD members today stalled the Assembly proceeding over Polavaram issue and submitted a memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee to Odisha governor S C Jamir here.
Treasury bench members rushed to well of the House as soon as it assembled for the question hour. Though Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was not in the House, the ruling party MLAs shouted anti-Centre slogans and accused it of adopting 'anti-Odisha' stand.
Unable to run the House, Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourned the Assembly till 3 PM.
BJD had also protested against Polavaram project in the Assembly on December 9.
BJD MLAs including ministers also marched towards the Raj Bhavan holding posters and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President to the Governor.

The ruling party opposed the Centre releasing funds to the tune of Rs 345 crore to Andhra Pradesh government for construction of the multi-purpose irrigation project which is feared to inundate several villages in Odisha.

"We have demanded total stop of the Polavaram project and cancellation of the environment clearance accorded to it," said Industries Minister Debi Prasad Mishra.
The Polavaram project, according to Odisha government, would inundate 7756 hectares of land in 15 revenue villages and 10 hamlets of Motu block in Malkangiri district and as many as 6818 people including 5916 tribals would be displaced.
Though the dispute over the Polavaram project continued since long, it turned volatile recently after Union Minister Prof. Sanwar Lal Jat informed the Parliament that the Central government would bear the expenses of the construction of the irrigation project as per Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

The expenses incurred after April 1 last year will be borne by the Centre, the minister had said.
Meanwhile, the Odisha Assembly House Committee yesterday decided to lodge a protest against Polavaram project with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January.