In the latest ‘evidence’ against Odisha’s stand on Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram irrigation project, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Monday said the project construction had been allowed after Odisha along with two other States gave consent for this.
Bharti was responding to media queries after the Centre through the Nabard released Rs 1,982 crore to Andhra Pradesh for the project in New Delhi. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley handed over the cheque to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Nadu at an event.
“For the project, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh have given their consent. After that only, the project was given a go-ahead,” Bharti said.
The Centre had earlier released Rs 300 crore for the project in February this year.
Asked about Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik’s claim in the recent State Assembly session that his Government has sought an injunction from the Supreme Court against Chhattisgarh’s ongoing and planned projects in upper catchments of the Mahanadi, Bharti said his statements are baseless.
“I would say his (Naveen’s) statements are baseless which have no answers,” she maintained.