BJD urges Central Water Commission to stop Polavaram project till remedial measures are taken

BJD sent a ‘fact-finding’ team to Malkangiri district in August to assess the impact of the Polavaram project

Published on: Dec 5, 2024, 19:05:18 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday asked the Central Water Commission (CWC) not to allow its construction till steps are taken to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of tribals in Odisha’s Malkangiri district who would be displaced due to the Polavaram irrigation project.

International experts from the United States and Canada visit the Polavaram Irrigation Project site on November 7. (ANI FILE)

In a statement, the BJD said the project was conceived under the resolution of the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal (GWDT), which outlined agreements between Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh. It complained that the project authorities had, however, increased the flood discharge (capacity) from 36 lakh cusecs to 50 lakh cusecs, without sufficient consideration of the backwater impact in the upstream states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The statement comes a day after a BJD delegation in Delhi reached out to top government functionaries including jal shakti minister CR Paatil, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes chairperson Antar Singh Arya and Union environment secretary Leena Nandan to express their concern about the impact the project would have on Odisha.

BJD’s outreach in Delhi comes after party chief Naveen Patnaik sent a ‘fact-finding’ team headed by former minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak to Malkangiri district’s Motu and Padia tehsils in August this year to assess the impact of the project.

In a statement issued in Bhubaneswar, the party said the revised flood discharge capacity could lead to submergence levels of up to 216 feet in Odisha, far exceeding the previously agreed maximum of 174.22 feet.

“Our delegation found the local communities were deeply concerned about the potential backwater inundating large parts of Malkangiri. We also visited the Polavaram project site in Andhra Pradesh to assess the situation, but the queries regarding the project’s potential impact were left unanswered by the Polavaram Project Authority,” a BJD leader said.

The party asked CWC to conduct a fresh backwater study for the revised flood discharge capacity of 50 lakh cusecs.

“Resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) plans should be revised, ensuring proper consultation with the Odisha government and focusing on vulnerable tribal populations. The submergence levels should be reassessed and the Polavaram project design be adjusted accordingly to prevent adverse effects on Odisha. The spillway discharge capacity and reservoir operation schedules, especially in relation to flood impact need to be clarified. The CWC should confirm whether backwater calculations for the upstream rivers in Odisha have been completed and whether the project’s reservoir can be filled before finalizing the rehabilitation and resettlement process,” said BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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