Polavaram project violates GWDT award: BJD

Ruling BJD MLAs oppose Centre's move to release Rs 345 cr to Andhra Pradesh for project

Continuing their tirade against the contentious Polavaram project, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislators today paralysed assembly proceedings.

The agitating members proceeded to submit a memorandum addressed to president Pranab Mukherjee through Odisha governor S C Jamir.

The house witnessed a ruckus soon after it opened for business with the treasury bench members trooping the well, shouting slogans aganst the central government.

The ruling party MLAs opposed the Centre's move to release Rs 345 crore to the Andhra Pradesh government for the project.

The Polavaram project is in the eye of a storm as it is feared to inundate several villages in Odisha.

"We have demanded total stop of the Polavaram project and cancellation of the environment clearance accorded to it," said industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra.

Protest against the Polavaram project has gained momentum after Union minister of state for water resources Prof Sanwar Lal Jat informed the Parliament that the central government would bear the expenses of the construction of the irrigation project as per Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

As per the estimates of the Odisha government, would inundate 7,756 hectares of land in 15 revenue villages and 10 hamlets of Motu block in Malkangiri district and as many as 6,818 people including 5,916 tribals would be displaced.

The house committee of the state assembly has decided to lodge a protest against the project with Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month. The committee has come out with a draft memorandum in this connection.

The drat memorandum says the formulation of the Polavaram project is in complete violation of the Godawari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) award and also not in tune with the National Standards/BIS codes.

"The declaration of the status of national project to Polavaran project is unfair, unreasonable and illegal. There is a duplication of command area resulting in over-estimation of the command area of the project. Most of the proposed ayacut area of the project is already being irrigated and proposed to be irrigated by various medium and minor irrigation projects", the memorandum adds.