Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold deliberations with the state chief secretary and other officials during which the controversial Polavaram project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh may be discussed.
Majhi, however, said he had no information that PM Modi was scheduled to convene a meeting with the chief ministers of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh May 28 to discuss the project.
Responding to journalists’ queries on media reports about the PM’s meeting with the CMs on the sidelines of a programme here, he said, “I have no information regarding the prime minister’s meeting with chief ministers on the Polavaram project. However, the PM is scheduled to hold deliberations with the Odisha chief secretary and secretaries of the eastern state during which the Polavaram project may be discussed.”
He said the state has specific demands regarding the Polavaram project.
“If any meeting with the chief ministers on the Polavaram project is convened in future, Odisha will certainly participate in it and raise the state’s rights at the discussion,” he added.
The Polavaram Dam in Andhra Pradesh has already become a controversial project with neighbouring states Odisha, Telangana and Chhattisgarh opposing it, fearing the submergence of land and villages.
The matter is currently pending with the Supreme Court, with petitions filed by Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. The central government has declared Polavaram a national project and sanctioned funds in this year’s budget.
Meanwhile, Odisha’s Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan accused the previous BJD government of delaying legal action against Andhra Pradesh in the initial days when the Polavaram project was being built.
“The previous government did not raise the issue at the proper time due to certain political interests. Therefore, the only option before the present government is discussion and negotiation to resolve the matter. The present BJP government will certainly fight for Odisha’s rights,” the minister said.
However, the opposition BJD said it has been opposing the Polavaram project for a long time and claimed that Odisha would be severely affected if the present design of the dam were not changed.
The party has already campaigned against the Polavaram project in Delhi and also in the state claiming that tribal villages would be submerged due to the backwaters of the dam.
PTI
