BJD Claims Polavaram Project Will Impact 236 Odisha Villages, BJP Denies Responsibility
Bhubaneswar: The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has raised significant concerns over the multi-purpose Polavaram project in neighboring Andhra Pradesh, asserting that it will adversely impact the lives and livelihoods of people in 236 villages within Odisha’s Malkangiri district. This claim is based on a report by a fact-finding team led by senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra, which has been submitted to BJD president Naveen Patnaik.
The BJD report highlights fears that the Polavaram project, an ambitious initiative by the Andhra Pradesh government aimed at irrigation, hydropower generation, and drinking water supply, will lead to the loss of homes and agricultural land in the affected areas, particularly in the Kalimela and Padia blocks and Motu gram panchayat. The project’s backwaters are expected to exacerbate flooding in the already rain-prone Malkangiri district, with potential inundation affecting up to 200 villages and threatening the Motu area’s existence.
In response, the ruling BJP has criticized the BJD for its current stance, alleging that the party did nothing to halt the project during its previous tenure in power. BJP MP Balabhadra Majhi pointed out that the BJD had the opportunity to address the project while in government but failed to take action. Majhi, who represented the Nabarangpur constituency, claimed that the BJD’s current opposition is politically motivated and questioned why the party is now making the issue a focal point after a decade.
Majhi also accused the BJD of creating unnecessary panic among local residents and challenged the party’s claims by questioning the historical handling of the project, including the issuance of a no objection certificate in 2004 during a period when a BJD MP was in charge of the Union Water Resources Ministry.
On the other hand, BJD’s Debi Prasad Mishra criticized the BJP-led central government for its decision to allocate Rs 15,000 crore for the project’s expedited completion while the matter is still under judicial review. The BJD also expressed concerns about the lack of public consultation and hearings in the affected villages, as noted by the fact-finding team’s visit on August 8.
The BJD has committed to opposing the Polavaram project at all levels of governance, from Parliament to the state assembly and local panchayats, emphasizing its dedication to protecting the rights of the tribal communities in the region.
