BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Assembly was thrown into chaos on Thursday as Congress members demanded the formation of a House Committee to investigate the Polavaram Dam project in Andhra Pradesh. The opposition party argues that the project could submerge significant portions of tribal land in Malkangiri district.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam raised the issue during the Zero Hour, criticizing the BJP-led central government for advancing the Polavaram project. Kadam contends that the dam will inundate between 1,400 to 1,500 hectares of land in Malkangiri, affecting the region’s tribal communities.

Kadam accused the Centre of pushing the irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh without addressing the concerns of the displaced people in Odisha. He described the situation as a grave injustice to the tribal residents of Malkangiri, who he believes will suffer due to the project’s implementation.

The debate highlighted ongoing tensions over the impact of inter-state infrastructure projects on local communities and drew sharp reactions from the assembly members.