The Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has renewed its protest in opposition to the event of the Polavaram multipurpose mission in Andhra Pradesh, alleging that the mission would submerge a big portion of land inhabited by tribals in Malkangiri, Odisha.
On Wednesday (December 4), a delegation of BJD met Union Jal Shakti minister C R Patil, chairman of Central Water Fee (CWC) and senior central authorities officers to demand a contemporary backwater examine of the mission.
Officers have referred to as BJD’s transfer a “political stunt” as, in accordance with them, 75% of the mission has already been developed.
Here’s a take a look at why BJD is protesting in opposition to the mission, what the get together did to stall the mission when it was in energy in Odisha, and which different states have raised issues.
First, what’s the Polavaram multipurpose mission?
The mission is an interstate mission on river Godavari which was conceived in 1980 as part of suggestions of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT). On April 2, 1980, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha executed an settlement to clear development of the mission with a full reservoir stage of 150 ft and with a spillway discharging capability of 36 lakh cusecs.
The Andhra Pradesh State Reorganization Act (APRA), 2014, declared the mission a nationwide mission, mandating that the Union authorities executes the mission and obtains all requisite clearances as per environmental, forest, rehabilitation and resettlement norms.
In 2016, it was determined that the Centre would offer 100% of the remaining value of the mission’s irrigation element just for the interval ranging from April 1, 2014.
The placement of Polavaram multipurpose mission. (Credit score: Google maps)
What are the issues raised by the BJD?
The BJD alleges that important adjustments have been made to the unique design of the flood discharge capability, rising the capability from 36 lakh cusecs to 50 lakh cusecs. The get together claims that this was carried out with out ample consideration of the backwater impression on the upstream states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh (earlier part of Madhya Pradesh), which may have an effect on populations of Malkangiri who’re susceptible to shedding their lands and houses. Practically 162 villages in Malkangiri are prone to be submerged because of the mission.
The BJD additionally claims that the change within the flood discharge design would improve the utmost backwater stage in Odisha to 174.22 ft — it ought to have been 150 ft as talked about earlier to restrict submergence ranges within the state.
The get together alleges that the CWC refused to conduct a contemporary backwater examine for the revised design, regardless of specialists’ suggestions and issues of the Odisha authorities. It has additionally cited numerous research on estimates for submergence ranges. As an illustration, a 2009 examine performed by Andhra Pradesh confirmed {that a} 50-lakh cusec flood discharge would trigger submergence of as much as 216 ft in Odisha. A 2019 report by IIT Roorkee estimated {that a} flood discharge of 58 lakh cusecs would lead to submergence ranges of 232.28 ft in Odisha.
What steps did the BJD take when it was in energy?
The BJD dominated Odisha from 2000 to 2024, and the mission has been a political subject for the get together for a very long time.
In 2007, the get together lodged in opposition to the mission by submitting a swimsuit within the Supreme Court docket. It had challenged the clearances granted by numerous Central companies.
The get together additionally filed numerous interlocutory functions within the apex court docket difficult the mission. Because the chief minister of the state, Naveen Patnaik wrote a number of letters to Manmohan Singh, who was the prime minister in the course of the UPA regime, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging them to cease the mission’s development and conduct a contemporary examine about its impression on Odisha.
Why is the BJD making the mission a problem now?
After shedding energy to the BJP within the state, the BJD has intensified its voice in opposition to the mission contemplating it as a shot within the arm because it struggles to uphold its picture of a regional get together.
The get together can be making an attempt to nook the BJP by creating a story that the latter has been neglecting Odisha’s curiosity in serving to different states equivalent to Andhra Pradesh the place it’s in energy with its allies.
Produce other states additionally raised issues in opposition to the mission?
Moreover Odisha, Chhattisgarh in 2011 and Telangana (after it bifurcated from Andhra Pradesh) in 2019 additionally challenged the mission within the Supreme Court docket in opposition to the clearances granted to it and its impression of their respective states.
On April 11, 2011, the apex court docket nominated M Gopalakrishnan, an ex-member of CWC and different members of CWC to examine the Polavaram dam and submit a report verifying whether or not the development of the dam is by the GWDT order. After discipline visits, two stories had been submitted in June 2011. In each stories, it was concluded that the planning of the Polavaram mission and restricted development actions had been in tune with the authorized mission and GWDT provisions. Subsequently, the court docket accordingly clubbed all instances collectively and the matter is sub-judice.
