Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: The Centre’s decision to fund the controversial Polavaram irrigation project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh despite a ban by the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change on any kind of construction at the project site generated a heated debate in the state Assembly Tuesday.
The ruling BJD legislators threatened to move a censure motion against the Centre for its decision to sanction funds for construction of the project, which, the party said, would lead to submergence of houses and agricultural field of tribals in Malkangiri district.
The Opposition Congress also supported BJD and lambasted the Centre for allowing the construction of a project that both the parties termed as “anti-Orissa”. This led to BJP legislators blaming Congress for the project’s conception.
The Polavaram issue was raised in the Assembly by senior BJD lawmaker Amar Prasad Satpathy, who severely criticised the central BJP-led NDA government for agreeing to fund the project. “Let there be a censure motion against the Centre in the Assembly as the NDA government, too, adopted the previous UPA government’s policy on the Polavaram project, which is anti-Orissa. The Centre encouraging the project without holding public hearings in Orissa and Chhattishgarh. About 2,000 hectares would be completely submerged if the project is implemented,” said Satpathy.
“Although three states – Orissa, Telengana and Chhattishgarh – would be badly affected by the project, the Centre is funding it for the benefit of only Andhra Pradesh,” said Satpathy. He urged Speaker Niranjan Pujari to activate the House Committee on Polavaram Project and convene an all-party meeting on the subject. BJD members Samir Ranjan Dash, Ranendra Pratap Swain and Dambaru Sisa also supported Satpathy’s proposal of a censure motion against the Centre. Thousands of villages in nearly 21 panchayats in Malkangiri district would be affected by the project as the dam’s height has been increased despite the Orissa government’s protests, said the BJD legislators.
Supporting the BJD members’ demands, Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati said a team from the state government should visit Delhi to put forth the state’s demand before the Centre and save the forests and tribal land of the state.
BJP member Rabi Narayan Naik said the Orissa government had not so far estimated the possible loss to the state due to the project.