The Chhattisgarh Government preferred to keep out of the three-member Expert Committee meeting of the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment in protest over Andhra Pradesh government’s proposal to build ‘protective embankments’ on Shabri river under its Indira Sagar (Polavaram) project.
The Indira Sagar (Polavaram) project is located on Godavri river in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district, an official statement issued here on Monday stated. The Chhattisgarh Government’s contention had been that the construction of embankments is in violation of the provisions made under Godavari Tribunal Award 1980 for which it had also filed a civil suit in the Apex court.
Keeping this in mind, the Chhattisgarh government decided not to participate in the Expert Committee meeting organised by the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment in New Delhi on Monday. The Chhattisgarh government has protested the holding of the Expert Commitee meeting in view of the matter being pending for disposal in the Apex court and the Government had also shot a protest letter to the Centre regarding the issue.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh had been drawing Centre’s attention towards the issue from time to time. In a meeting of Chhattisgarh Irrigation Project Board held under his chairmanship on Friday at the Mantralaya in Naya Raipur, it was decided not to send a representative to attend the Expert Committee meeting held in New Delhi . The Chief Minister had categorically stated that that the Government does not recognise any agreement or decision which is not in the interest of the people of Chhattisgarh.
The officials of State Water Resources Department in Naya Raipur stated that the Andhra Pradesh government in violation of the Godavari Tribunal Award 1980 has proposed to build an embankment on the Shabri river on Indira Sagar (Polavaram) Project. They stated that the Andhra Pradesh government is wrong in saying that there would be no submergence in the catchment areas of Chhattisgarh. ‘The fact remains that the embankment would result in submergence of around 1,300 acres of forest land and displacement of many tribal families on the Chhattisgarh side’.
On account of the proposed embankments, the rain water which would gather would affect many tribal families on the Chhattisgarh side, they stated. The Andhra Pradesh government is intending to hold a public hearing in Chhattisgarh on its proposed plans to build the embankments for which the Centre has formed a three-member Expert Committee to seek consent of Chhattisgarh and Odhisha states.
As the Chhattisgarh government had already been protesting the proposed building of the embankments, it did not send its representative to attend the Expert Committee meeting held in Bhubaneshwar in Odisha on July 21 and again in New Delhi on Monday. Officials at the Mantralaya in Naya Raipur informed that the Chhattisgarh government had filed a civil suit in the Supreme court on August 20, 2011 seeking to stop the construction work of Indira sagar (Polavaram) project.
The petition had made the Andhra Pradesh government, Union Ministry of Water Resources, Union Ministry of Forest and Environment, Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Central Water Commission as respondents. The Chhattisgarh government has contended that as the matter is pending in the Supreme court, it would not be proper to hold discussions under any committee on the issue of the holding of public hearing in the context of ensuring ‘Zero Submergence’ in speculation of the building of the protective embankments.
It is pertinent to note that the Chhattisgarh Environment Protection Board is yet to hold a public hearing on the possible submergence of areas in Chhattisgarh in the aftermath of the environment clearance offered to the Polavaram project. In this regard, Principal Secretary of State Housing and Environment Department N Baijendra Kumar on April 15, 2013 had informed the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment that it would not be agreeable and justified to hold a Public hearing at the Central level on the issue. The Chhattisgarh government had also informed the Union Water Resources Department that it would not be proper to hold any talk with any committee or respondents of the civil suit on the issue.