BJD Flags Polavaram Project Violations, Urges Odisha Govt to Act Ahead of May 28 Review Meet

Bhubaneswar, May 20 — The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has voiced strong objections to the ongoing progress of the Polavaram Project by the Andhra Pradesh Government, accusing it of unilaterally altering the project’s scope with the alleged support of the Centre. Senior BJD leader Debi Mishra raised the issue at a press conference on Tuesday, warning that Odisha’s tribal communities—particularly those in Malkangiri—face imminent risk from the revised project design.

Mishra highlighted that the Polavaram Project, originally sanctioned in 2006 with a discharge capacity of 36 lakh cusecs, was later increased to 56 lakh cusecs without consultation with Odisha or other riparian states. He termed this a direct violation of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) recommendations.

“The BJD had taken the lead in raising this issue nationally and legally,” Mishra said, noting that the party had filed the original suit in the Supreme Court and fought on all fronts—including the ground, Assembly, and Parliament. He also recalled that former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik personally consulted with affected tribal communities in 2024.

Environmental Violations and Lack of Studies

Mishra criticized the ongoing construction despite the lack of forest and environmental clearances and a stop-work order issued in 2011 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. He underscored the absence of a fresh backwater study following the design changes and pointed to conflicting flood level data from institutions like IIT Roorkee, which has raised uncertainty regarding downstream impact in Odisha.

The BJD leader further said that the 2014 National Project status, granted post the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, has only accelerated these violations.

Call for Urgent Action

He expressed concern over the current Odisha Government’s silence on the matter. “Chief Minister Mohan Majhi’s government has been in office for a year, yet has remained passive,” Mishra said. He emphasized that the Supreme Court, in an order dated September 6, 2022, had directed the convening of a high-level stakeholder meeting—something that remains unimplemented.

Mishra urged the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Environment to call for the meeting by the end of May. He also revealed that the Prime Minister is expected to review the Polavaram Project on May 28, but claimed that Odisha’s top leadership seems unaware of the development.

“This raises serious concerns about whether Odisha’s interests will be represented at all,” he said.

Reaffirming Tribal Rights

The BJD asserted that the issue is closely linked to the rights and survival of Odisha’s tribal communities. The party has submitted memoranda to various central ministries, calling for a fresh backwater impact study and proper implementation of rehabilitation and compensation programs. They also demanded action based on recommendations from the Gopal Krishna Committee and the Moily Commission, which have so far been neglected.

Mishra concluded by urging CM Mohan Majhi to publicly clarify his position on the matter ahead of the May 28 meeting, calling for full transparency and accountability to protect Odisha’s people.