The decision of the outgoing Congress-led UPA Government for constituting the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) to ensure execution of a controversial inter-State multi-purpose irrigation project being constructed by Andhra Pradesh evoked sharp reaction here with the Odisha Government asserting to take the issue to the apex court.
Reacting over the issue, Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra on Saturday said that the State Government was awaiting the detailed decision of the Union Cabinet of May 1 on the constitution of the PPA.“After receipt of the Cabinet decision, the matter would be put before the State Government for future course of action. If necessary, for the interest of the State, the Government would contest the decision in the Supreme Court which is hearing several petitions against the controversial project already,” the Chief Secretary said, adding the Government would examine as to what extent of area would be affected once the project was commissioned.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJD has already taken exception to the Union Cabinet’s nod relating to the formation of the PPA which would expedite the process of environmental and investment clearance to the disputed project. Besides, the party has also sharply reacted to the statements of BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for backing the project.
It may be noted that with an eye over votes by wooing the Telengana people, both Modi and Gandhi on Friday last in their election meetings had asserted to clear the project if their parties formed the Government at Delhi.After the protest of School and Mass Education Minister Rabi Narayan Nanda, BJD youth wing president Sanjay Kumar Das Burma also came down heavily on the Central Government and criticised the stand of Modi and Gandhi over the project. Das Burma warned that the BJD would continue to oppose the project as thousands of tribals and their land would be affected, if the Polavaram came into being.
Dubbing the decision as undemocratic and tuned to woo voters, Das Burma said that UPA Government should refrain from giving clearance to the project. On the other hand, senior BJP leader Biswa Bhushan Harichandan and Congress chief spokesperson Narasingha Mishra virtually supported the project on the count that Andhra Pradesh had the right to construct irrigation project for its interest. But, they said that any measure that would affect the interest of the State, particularly the tribals, would be opposed tooth and nail.