New Delhi: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Ramesh Chandra Majhi Thursday sought a blanket ban on construction of multi-purpose Polavaram project on river Godavari in Andhra Pradesh.
While speaking during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, the Nabarangapur MP said a large area of Malkangiri district, inhabited by tribals of Odisha, will be submerged after the construction of the project.
“The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) should have consulted with the Odisha government before giving clearance to the project in the neighbourhood. The dam will submerge a large area of Malkangiri district and a number of people will suffer due to the project. The government should halt the project at the earliest”, said Majhi.
It is to be mentioned here that the Ministry of Environment and Forest Wednesday gave a two-year extension to the ongoing dam work allowing construction of the Polavaram multipurpose project.
In 2011 the Union government had directed the Andhra Pradesh government to stop construction of Polavaram work but in 2014 the NDA government gave it a national project status and the ministry held the “Stop Work Order” in abeyance to allow the construction work. The “Stop Work Order” has been kept in abeyance six times a year.
Union Environment and Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar said considering the immense importance of the project this time the Ministry has kept the “Stop Work Order” in abeyance to allow the ongoing construction works for two years without permission to impound water.
The project envisages construction of Earth-cum-Rock fill dam across river Godavari. The maximum height of the dam is set at 48 metres.