Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati on Thursday batted for public hearing for the execution of Polavaram project and urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to sort out the issues of Odisha pertaining to the project with its Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Notably, the Polavaram project will submerge vast swathe of land and forests in Malkangiri district where the tribals live.
“Public hearing has to take place since tribals’ interest is involved. I always requested the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to sort out the issues of Odisha and he had promised me that he would do so,” Bharati told reporters in New Delhi.
She said she is always ready to help whatever help Chandrababu wants from her Ministry to sort out the issues of Odisha.
“I am also ready to help Naveen Patnaik. But I want that both the Chief Ministers should sit together and solve the matter,” said the Union Minister.
“I believe that Chandrababu Naidu is a seasoned Chief Minister of the country and he is capable of talking to the Odisha Government and if there is any need, we will help him,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Odisha Assembly House Committee on Thursday decided to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Polavaram irrigation project issue next month.
This was decided at the committee’s meeting chaired by Speaker Niranjan Pujari here. The committee has 25 members from all political parties.
The issue was discussed in the committee in view of the concerns of the members cutting across party lines. The MlAs of all the three major parties, the BJD, the Congress and the BJP openly oppose the project.