The issue of Polavaram - a multi - purpose irrigation project being set up on the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh and spread across adjoining States - today rocked the Chhattisgarh Assembly, where the Congress members staged a walkout.
The main Opposition party MLAs walked out of the House to register their protest over the BJP Government's reply on details of villages that would be submerged in Chhattisgarh due to the under-construction mega venture which has been accorded national project status.
As per Water Resources Ministry, work on Polavaram began in October 2004 and is slated to be completed by 2018. Its reservoir spreads in parts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Raising the issue during Question Hour, Kawasi Lakhma (Congress) sought to know how much land and villages in Chhattisgarh will face submergence and steps being taken by the administration to rehabilitate the affected people.
In his reply, Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Brijmohan Agrawal quoted a survey report prepared by the Andhra Pradesh Government.
According to the report, if the maximum water level of the reservoir doesn't exceed 150 feet, then there will be no submergence in Chhattisgarh. But if the reservoir attains a height of 177 feet, then 201.296 hectares of forest land will come under water, he said.
He, however, added that Chhattisgarh Government itself has not conducted any survey on area that would be submerged.
Lakhma said the State Government had earlier informed about the number of villages that would be affected by the project, but now they don't have any records. He also referred to a civil suit filed by the State in the Supreme Court over the project.
Agrawal said the agreement for the project was signed in 1980 with the Government in Madhya Pradesh (Chhattisgarh was part of the State then).
The Chhattisgarh Government is committed to protect the interests of the State and the civil suit had been filed keeping this in mind, the minister maintained.
Lakhma asked if the Government is unaware of the affected areas then why its officials stalled construction works in Konta area adjoining Andhra Pradesh (where the dam is being constructed)?
Joining the issue, Leader of Opposition T S Singhdeo of Congress said the Raman Singh Government is misleading the House over the issue.
Agrawal, however, said no any construction work had been stalled in the region. Dissatisfied with his reply, Congress members staged a walk out from the House.
