Odisha assembly panel to meet PM on Polavaram

Will appeal to PM that dam would submerge a large part of state's land area

A house committee of the Odisha assembly has decided to submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, listing out the state’s concerns and grievances on the controversial Polavaram project.

This was decided at the maiden meeting of the committee chaired by speaker Niranjan Pujari. The memorandum would appeal to the prime minister to look into the interest of Odisha where substantial land area is feared to be inundated upon implementation of the Polavaram project.

“The house committee has decided that it would meet the prime minister and submit a memorandum urging him to safeguard the interest of the state. Since it would submerge some parts of Malkangiri district, we will continue our protest against the project,” said Malkangiri MLA Manas Madkami. The Speaker, however, refused comment on the issue.