As a community, the residents and voters of Odisha stand betrayed over the Polavaram issue. We have missed the bus to oppose the project in an appropriate manner at the appropriate time. This has been facilitated by the indolent attitude of all political parties over the last more than a decade.
let us look at the facts as they reveal themselves. The State Government is aware of the Polavaram Irrigation Project in Andhra Pradesh from at least 1978 when an agreement was signed between the Governments of Andhra and Odisha. Not a word has been projected in terms of violation of this agreement in the subsequent phases of the implementation of the project details. The matters stood neglected because of inactions of our own ruling and all other political parties. In 2002, a BJD leader was the Water Resources Minister at the Centre. The matter was at that time lying with the Central Water Commission. Nobody raised any objections before this commission. Around 2006-07, the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh called a meeting of both the Governments represented by the Chief Ministers. The Odisha Chief Minister did not attend any such meeting. Having not bestowed any attention over the last 15 years, the Odisha Government headed by the Chief Minister, who holds the portfolio of Water Resources, has not visited this area. The then Water Resources Minister belonging to ruling BJD has also not bothered to visit the area. The House Committee of the Odisha Assembly has not met since more than six months. Everybody woke up when the obvious was stated. A Central legislation brought Telangana into existence and the Centre has recognised Polavaram as a “national project”.
If the Odisha legislature was really concerned with the hazards that will follow the Polavaram project for the State, it would have at least raised voice irrespective of party lines. The reason is obvious. It is a cause of the State and becomes a “common cause” and there cannot, therefore, be differences among the parties in so far as the issue is concerned. But alas! After making a bit of noise in this regard, an attempt was made to influence the Central Government through an all-party committee. This step remained dormant, yielding no fruitful results. The House Committee not meeting for a period of over six months demonstrates the lack of sincerity to the cause. The subsequent events are an inevitable byproduct of this gross neglect by the Speaker of the House. This was a cause not limited to any sectoral interest but was a “common cause” of the people of Odisha. Nobody bothered to find out whether appropriate litigation in the Supreme Court or the High Court relating to the project was the need of the day. The initial agreement between the Odisha and erstwhile Andhra Governments was the foundation for such mischief by Andhra. Nobody pointed out that there was an assurance that no area of Odisha would be submerged. This apart, there are several other concessions that stand violated now, especially when almost 50 per cent of the project was completed.
Having behaved in this indolent manner, the Odisha Government now suddenly departs from the all-party committee under the chairmanship of the Speaker and wants to project that the ruling party is alone fighting this cause. This is contrary to facts. It has got be appreciated that when it comes to the interest of the State, sectoral or party interests have to be subsumed. There cannot be any brinkmanship of a ruling party to subterfuge the entire situation by gimmickry.
The inactions by our authorities from the legislature downwards, including the citizenry, has resulted in almost forfeiture of the rights of the State’s residents. This is a crucial question and must be answered by the Government, the Opposition and one and all. There is no escape from the situation.
The State agencies and all political parties have kept quiet when events marched forward unhindered from the time of the inception of the project. We did not take appropriate steps to intervene and failed in our duty to protect the interest of Utkal Janani. This in turn brought about a situation where undue benefits were conferred in violation of law.
But can we blame anybody else but ourselvesIJ When I say “ourselves”, it includes our Government, our Opposition and other members of the legislative Assembly, the thinking public of Odisha and all others concerned.
If one looks at the scenario, as it has emerged, we, as a race of people, called Odias, have failed to protect our interests or for that matter the interest of our progenies have not been duly protected by us by neglect and inaction. This is a neglect of protecting the inter-generation equity, a mandate emanating from the given facts. It is also equally true that marching to the Governor to give a memorandum to the President hardly meets the need when for more than almost six months the concerned Government has not taken any adequate step to remedy the situation.
let us see the present scenario. Polavaram is already implemented; it has already progressed almost to an extent short of 50 per cent (if not, at least 35-40 per cent). When the members of the Assembly committee resigned or abstained, there is an alarm bell and it needs to be listened to. It is not an empty formality. Consequentially, it is expected that unity among all parties is the obvious need of the hour, and he who disrupts this unity has to be blamed for subverting the “common cause”. So, we are now in a fact situation, where both the assertions have to be assimilated and harmonised.
When a situation arises as to whether any alternate view is to be preferred, there has to be a debate on the subject in public view and the related facts have also to be disclosed. When there is no disclosure of facts, which affect the case, any formulation of opinion in this regard is rendered subjective.
life is short, but objections can be long. We have seen the nature of objections which are very disturbing, and we have seen inability of the system to accept what is basically honest.
In this exercise, we have to take all sectors into account and, therefore, no sectarian interest should have any dominant effective power. We have landed ourselves in a situation where we have forfeited our rights to agitate against Polavaram.
The mandatory statutory requirement of consent of Palli Sabha in the scheduled areas has also been grossly neglected. This appears to be the last straw on the camel’s back. We could still ensure that Palli Sabhas are held in the tribal areas and may be their voice can overcome our failures. The Central Minister has also drawn attention to this factor. But for the youth of India, it should be a lesson. This is a textbook example of the failure of our leaders. The youth must demand that the tribal villages must convene their Palli Sabhas and express their opinion without fear or favour. The otherwise powerless tribal can salvage the situation. But to awaken them and make them freely express their opinion, some homework has to be done by the younger elements amongst the social activists. But the issue involves anyone who belongs to the land of Utkal Janani. There should be an audible voice to make the machinery move in the right direction. This requires effort on the part of all of us. And surely this concerns us all!
(The writer, a Senior Advocate, is a former All India Service officer, a former diplomat, a former editor, a former President of Orissa High Court Bar Association and a former Advocate General of Odisha.
jayantdas@hotmail.com)