New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Water Resources has recently filed a status report in the Supreme Court apprising the apex court about the steps taken by it for the resolution of the Polavaram dispute among Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. The ministry has sought directions from the Supreme Court to resolve the dispute, official sources said.
Earlier, the Centre had requested the apex court to allow it three months’ time to file a status report with respect to the meetings convened by it to resolve the dispute related to the Polavaram project through talks.
Significantly, the Supreme Court had asked the Union government to play a pioneering role in resolving the dispute and if required convene a meeting of Chief Ministers. Three suits each by Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana have been filed against the Polavaram project in the apex court raising environmental concerns.
In 2018, Odisha also filed an interim application against the Centre for keeping the “stop work order” dated February 2011 in abeyance year-on-year and seeking directions that the project be stopped until a fresh environment impact assessment (EIA) is carried out, including public hearing as mandated by various EIA notifications. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh has decided to commission the Polavaram irrigation project in 2025.
KULDEEP SINGH, OP
