The Supreme Court on Tuesday slapped a penalty of Rs 25,000 on the Central Government for not responding to its earlier notice in connection with a writ petition filed by the Odisha Government challenging according of national project status to the Polavaram multipurpose irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh.
The apex court asked the Centre to reply within two weeks. Besides, it asked the Central Government to make Telangana and Chhattisgarh as parties in the case.
Notably, apprehending that several villages in Malkangiri district would be submerged with the coming up of the ongoing Polavaram project, the Odisha Government moved the Supreme Court last year opposing it. The Telangana and Chhattisgarh Governments are also opposing Polavaram project.
While the erstwhile UPA government at the Centre had accorded national project tag to the Polavaram project, the incumbent NDA Government too has announced to provide all financial support to it as a national project.