Odisha Assembly committee to meet PM on Polavaram project

The Odisha Assembly House Committee today decided to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in its bid to intensify opposition to the Polavaram irrigation project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
The committee would draw attention of the PM to the fact that the proposed dam would displace nearly 7,000 tribals and submerge 7,656 hectares of land in Malkangiri district.
The committee, having 25 members from all political parties, also resolved at its meeting, chaired by Speaker Niranjan Pujari, to lodge protest before Modi.
"The House Committee decided to meet the Prime Minister next month. A memorandum for the proposed meeting with Prime Minister will be prepared in 2-3 days," Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma said.

Stating that tribal inhabitants of Malkangiri district would be hit by Polavaram irrigation project, Dasburma said at least 15 revenue villages and 10 "pada gram" under Motu tehsil would be submerged in the backwater of the proposed dam.
Replying to a question, Dasburma said at least 6,818 persons would be displaced and 7,656 hectare of land submerged in Malkangiri in view of Andhra Pradesh government's revised design to increase height of the dam.

The issue was taken up by the House Committee after members cutting across party lines voiced concern. The lawmakers from three major political parties - BJD, Congress and BJP - opposed the project and expressed their concern over the development taking place in the neighbouring state.

Though Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra did not openly demand scrapping of Polavaram project, he said: "Let them (Andhra Pradesh) prosper, but we (Odisha) should not suffer at any circumstances." He said AP government is free to increase its state's irrigation potential, but not at the cost of the people of Odisha.
Apart from Odisha Assembly, the ruling BJD MPs also raised the issue in both Houses of Parliament and criticised the NDA government's decision of funding the Polavaram project which they termed as "anti-Odisha."
Union Tribal Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader from Odisha Jual Oram, however, said he would take steps keeping in view the interest of the tribal people.

Polavaram irrigation project, also referred to as Indira Sagar Dam, which was conceived way back in 1941, would cost Rs 20,000 crore. The Centre would fund 90 per cent of the expenditure after declaring it as a National Project.
The Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) has also
issued direction for conducting public hearing in the affected areas of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The Andhra Pradesh government then challenged the NEAA order in Andhra Pradesh High Court and got a stay on the order.
Later, the case was transferred to Supreme Court after the Odisha government filed a transfer petition, Mohapatra said, adding the technical committee of the Central Water Commission has given clearance to the construction of a 200 ft wide and 30 to 40 ft high embankment on rivers Sileru and Saeri in Malkangiri district at a cost of Rs 600 crore.

The Odisha government was opposing such a proposal as backwater of the Polavaram project would inundate about two dozen tribal villages in the Malkangiri district.
Mohapatra said the Odisha government has filed a case in the Supreme Court against the Centre's final forest clearance to the project.
The state government also drew attention of the apex court that the Andhra Pradesh government be directed not to proceed with the construction of the project work.
"Since the case is pending in the Supreme court, the public hearing can be made only after permission granted by the apex court," Mohapatra said.
The Odisha Pollution Control Board has in the meantime apprised the Water Resources department of Andhra Pradesh that it would not go for the public hearing.