BJD reiterates its demand for CWC Chairman’s action over Polavaram Project
New Delhi: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday reiterates its demand for Central Water Commission (CWC) Chairman’s action over the Polavaram Project of the Andhra Pradesh.
The delegation of the conch party including senior party leaders Debi Prasad Mishra, Sulata Deo, Niranjan Bishi, Niranjan Pujari, Pramila Mallik, Bhrugu Baxipatra, Ramesh Chandra Majhi, Manas Madkami, Priyabrata Majhi, Subhashish Khuntia, Manas Ranjan Mangaraj, Muzibulla Khan and Sasmit Patra summited a memorandum to the CWC Chairman and requested for the following 10 actions.
Earlier on December 5, 2024, a delegation of the conch party had met the CWC Chairman and submitted a memorandum regarding the issues and concerns of Odisha. But they have not still been considered by your good office, the party alleged.
Today, the BJD delegation demanded the following 10 actions:
Conduct consultations with all stakeholders as per the Honuorable Supreme Court orders dated 06-09-2022 and 07-12-2022.
Imitate a consultation process with all the concerned Chief Ministers through the Central Water Commission (CWC).
Issue a stop work order to the Government of Andhra Pradesh and the Government of India until the demands of Odisha are addressed.
Ensure that no alterations are made to the initial design of the Polavaram Project, until the issues raised by Odisha are resolved.
Conduct a fresh backwater study for the revised design food of 50 lakh cusecs and take into account the PMF (58 lakh cusecs) as suggested by IIT Roorkee.
Prioritize the safety and well-being of the tribal communities in Malkangiri by conducting proper surveys and identifying the areas likely to be submerged.
Ensure that the resettlement and rehabilitation plans are completed in consultation with the Odisha Government, with special focus on the vulnerable and primitive tribal populations.
Reassess the submergence levels and revise the Polavaram project accordingly to prevent any adverse impact on Odisha.
The several initial aspects like spillway discharge capacity, reservoir operation schedule be outlined, particularly in relation to the maximum food impact.
We also request confirmation on whether backwater calculation computations for the upstream rivers in Odisha have been carried out or not. Another concern is whether the reservoir can be filled without completing the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) process for the affected areas.
