New Delhi: Apprising the Rajya Sabha of the destructions to be caused by the Polavaram project, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra Friday urged the Union government to stop construction of controversial Indirasagar Polavaram project on River Godavari.
The BJD legislator said in the House that due to Polavaram project, 6,818 people including 5,916 tribals will be displaced in Motu Tehsil of Malkangiri district. He said the project was provided environmental clearance in 2005 without any public hearing in Odisha and in February 2011 the Ministry of Environment and Forests stopped the construction work through a ‘Stop Work Order’.
“But surprisingly and shockingly, this order has been kept in abeyance from 2014 and now till 2021 through repeated extensions and Polavaram construction has been allowed. Keeping “Stop Work Order” in abeyance till 2021 will perpetuate permanent damage to Odisha and about 6,000 tribal people would face large-scale submergence of their agricultural lands, forest area and destruction of their habitat and livelihood,” Patra said.
He demanded that the Centre should stop the construction of Polavaram project and await the verdict of the Supreme Court in this matter.
He further said that the Polavaram project should be reformulated as per Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal order to avoid large-scale submergence in Motu tehsil of Malkangiri district.
“Stopping of Polavaram construction would ensure that statutory public hearings in Odisha must be done and the interests of Odisha is protected,” Patra said.