Bhubaneswar, March 29 (Odisha.in) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday sought immediate halt to the construction work carried out by Andhra Pradesh government for multi-purpose Polavaram irrigation project.
Describing the project against the interest of Odisha, the chief minister met the Union Minister of Water Resources Harish Rawat in New Delhi and asked him to intervene into the matter, a senior official of the chief minister‘s office here told Odisha.in.
Referring to various news reports on finalization of tenders for civil works of the project, the chief minister also suggested him that the central government should not allow execution of the project till the conflicting issues are resolved.
The project to be built on Godavari river has been opposed by both Chhattisgarh and Odisha who claimed the dam will submerge their bordering areas and thousands of people would be displaced.
Odisha officials have claimed large patch of lands and villages in the district of Malkangiri district would be hit by the project.
Odisha has also opposing the project saying that there are several pending issues related to the project including reservoir operation schedule, placement of embankments, submersion of forest land and incorrect back water computation.
The central environment ministry gave Andhra Pradesh the final clearance for diversion of 3,731.07 hectares of forest land three years ago for the project despite protests.
The ministry said they cleared the project on the condition that no submergence of forest land should take place in both the states. However Odisha government petitioned the apex court against the approval.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also raised the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last year.
Odisha.in