Demand for House Committee on Polavaram

Reporters Today, BHUBANESWAR, JUNE 29: Senior BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra Friday criticized Union Environment Minister Prakash Javedkar’s decision to withdraw the stay order on continuance of construction work on Polavaram project and allowing Andhra Pradesh two years to continue construction.

Raising the issue during zero hour of the Assembly proceedings, Mishra said by such a decision Centre has shown undue favour for Andhra Pradesh and clearly neglected the interests of of thousands of tribals of Malkangiri district.

Mishra demanded that a resolution be passed in the House on the issue immediately and and a House Committee be formed to take steps on the Polavaram issue.

Notably, AP government has been continuing work on the project in violation of rules and regulations of the Enironment, Tribal rehabilitation and Forest Departments and despite cases pending in the Supreme Court.

Besides the erstwhile UPA and the ruling NDA dispensations have been illegally favouring the project throwing all legal norms to the wind.

Mishra demanded immediate and elaborate discuion on the latest development in the House and condemnation of the illegal steps by the Centre.

Stating that the resolutions brought by Government Chief Whips in 2006 and 2018 were not discussed in the House, Mishra suggested a unanimous fresh resolution condemning Centre’s parochial approach to the issue and taking steps to meet the situation.

Among others Congress member Tara Prasad Bahinipati, BJD MLAs Aravind Dhali, Prafulla Samal and Subash Behera condemned the Union minister’s steps and demanded withdrawal of the order.