Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly on Friday witnessed repeated adjournments with opposition Congress and BJD MLAs staging a protest over the controversial Polavaram Dam project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
As soon as the House assembled for Question Hour, Congress members rushed to the well of House, opposing Speaker Surama Padhy’s decision to rejected their notice for a discussion on the Polavaram issue since the matter was sub-judice.
Opposition whip Pramila Mallik urged Padhy to bring the House in order before allowing the Question House. Congress members, however, refused to return to their seats, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House till 11.30 am.
The commotion continued when House reassembled and this time, BJD members joined the sloganeering, accusing the saffron party of sacrificing the interest of Odisha. Unable to conduct the proceedings, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 4 pm.
Outside the Assembly, Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the BJD has always fought for the interest of the people of Odisha. “We will continue to do so,” he added.
On Thursday, a BJD, which has been camping in Delhi for 3 days, submitted a memorandum to chairperson of Central Water Commission (CWC) Kushvinder Vohra, demanding a revision in the design of the Polavaram dam project to prevent any adverse impact on Odisha while conducting proper surveys and identifying the areas likely to be submerged. It also demanded that the resettlement and rehabilitation plans be completed in consultation with the Odisha Government, with special focus on vulnerable and primitive tribal populations.
Speaking to reporters, Congress Legislative Party leader Ramchandra Kadam alleged that the double engine BJP government was ignoring Odisha’s concerns on the controversial dam on the Godavari. He questioned the state government’s silence over the project, which he said will drown Odisha. He also accused the central government of showing undue favours to Andhra Pradesh and awarding huge financial assistance for the completion of the project.
Reacting to the allegations, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan assured that the Mohan Majhi-led BJP government will do everything to safeguard the interest of Odisha and the interest of the people of the state. “In their 24-year regime, whatever they have achieved while fighting for the state is completely exposed and it is a naked truth and history will not forgive them. The last government didn’t do what it was supposed to do pertaining to various controversial issues, let it be the Polavaram or Bansadhara water dispute or the Kotia,” he added.