Odisha Assembly witnesses ruckus over Andhra Pradesh's Polavaram project

Bhubaneswar, Dec 6: The Odisha Assembly on Friday witnessed a huge ruckus by the opposition party members over the ongoing multipurpose Polavaram Project in Andhra Pradesh. Following the pandemonium, the House was adjourned till 4 p.m. by Speaker Surama Padhy.

As soon as the proceedings of question hour started, Congress members reached the well of the House protesting against the rejection of the adjournment motion moved by the party demanding discussions on the Polavaram Project issue. They were later joined by the BJD members shouting slogans against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government.

The House was first adjourned till 11.30 a.m. but when the House assembled again, the opposition continued its uproar prompting Speaker Padhy to further adjourn the house till 4 p.m.

The Speaker in her statement on the rejection of the motion said that the Polavaram issue is currently sub judice, so it can’t be discussed in the House.

Speaking to media persons outside the House, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik said, “The BJD has always been fighting for the interests of the people of Odisha and we will continue to do so.”

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Rama Chandra Kadam alleged that Odisha will drown due to the Polavaram Project in Andhra Pradesh while the state government has kept mum on the issue. He accused the Central government of showing undue favours to Andhra Pradesh and awarding huge financial assistance for the completion of the project.

Countering the allegations raised by the opposition leaders on the Polavaram issue, state Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said, “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. But one thing I can assure the people of Odisha is that this Mohan Majhi-led BJP government will do whatever needs to be done to safeguard the interest of the state and the interest of the people of the state.”

Notably, a high-level BJD delegation led by senior leader and former minister, Debi Prasad Mishra, on Thursday met with the Chairman of the Central Water Commission (CWC) to express deep concerns over the ongoing multipurpose Polavaram Project in Andhra Pradesh and its potential impact on Odisha, especially the Malkangiri district.