Members in the State Assembly on Friday expressed deep concern over the Union Government’s decision to grant a two-year extension for the construction of the Polavaram multipurpose project in Andhra Pradesh and demanded that a unanimous resolution be passed and a House Committee be formed soon to urge the Prime Minister to stop the project in the interest of Odisha and its people.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra informed the House that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recently given two years’ environment clearance for construction of the Polavaram project, which is going to affect the lives and livelihoods of people of Malkangiri district.
“While a case relating to the Polavaram project is pending at the Supreme Court, it is disappointing that the Union Government, without making any impact survey, has given permission to construct the project. Once the project is constructed with 50 lakh cusec water holding capacity, its backwater will displace thousands of Adivasi people of Malkangiri district and spoil their livelihood. Thus a House Committee should be formed to urge the Prime Minister for closure of the project,” demanded Mishra. Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati and BJD MLAs Prafulla Samal and Arbind Dhali also made the same demand.
On completion of the project, as many as 221 hectares of reserve forest and 25 to 29 villages in Malkangiri district would be submerged in the backwater, said Dhali.