August 13th 2024.
The Biju Janata Dal party of Odisha has raised concerns about the potential impact of Andhra Pradesh's Polavaram project. The recent budget allocation and the promise to complete the project by February 2026, made by the Central government, has caused fear among the tribal people of Malkangiri district in Odisha. A fact-finding team, led by former minister Atanu S Nayak, has informed the party president Naveen Patnaik after conducting a visit to the Motu and Padia tehsils of the district. The purpose of the visit was to assess the potential impact of the project on the district.
In their report to Patnaik, the team has expressed that the local communities in the district have significant concerns and grievances regarding the project. According to the team, the residents of Motu and Podia blocks are facing a severe threat to their lives, livelihoods, and cultural heritage due to the potential submergence caused by the project. The recent budget allocation by the Union government and the promise to complete the project by February 2026 has raised fears and concerns among the tribal inhabitants of approximately 200 villages in Motu and Podia blocks.
The Polavaram project, which is being developed on the Godavari River in Polavaram mandalam of Andhra Pradesh's Eluru district, aims to irrigate over 4.3 lakh hectares of land and generate 960 MW of hydropower. It also promises to supply drinking water to nearly 30 lakh people in 611 villages. However, the project will divert 80 tmc ft of water to the Krishna river basin, which has caused apprehension among the tribal communities in Malkangiri district.
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