BJD Urges Central Water Commission to Address Polavaram Project’s Impact on Malkangiri District

New Delhi: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly opposed the construction of the Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh, warning that it could prove disastrous for Odisha, particularly the tribal-dominated regions of Malkangiri district.

A delegation of BJD comprising MPs, MLAs, former ministers, and tribal leaders, have submitted a memorandum to the Chairman of the Central Water Commission (CWC), raising urgent concerns about the submergence of areas in Malkangiri district due to the Polavaram Project in Andhra Pradesh.

The BJD delegation pointed out that once the project becomes operational, vast areas of Malkangiri are likely to be submerged, leading to large-scale displacement and loss of livelihood for tribal communities.

The BJD stressed that the Polavaram project poses a serious threat to the socio-economic fabric of tribal populations in Odisha. The party urged the Commission to treat the issue as a matter of priority and take immediate steps to protect the interests of Odisha and its people.

 

 

The Polavaram Project, recently allocated Rs 17,936 crore by the Government of India for completion, has raised alarms in Odisha, particularly among the tribal communities of Malkangiri, including Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), the BJD said.

This project was conceived under the resolution of the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal (GWDT), which outlined agreements between Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh. However, significant changes have been made to the original design flood discharge capacity, increasing the flood discharge from 36 lakh cusecs to 50 lakh cusecs, without sufficient consideration of the backwater impact in the upstream states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. This shift has caused apprehensions among the affected populations of Malkangiri, who are at the risk of losing their lands and homes.

A Convention of the Polavaram Action Committee comprising all stake holders of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh including all Tribal people and inhabitants of the affected area was held on 28-02-2025 at Motu in Malkangiri district. The convention unanimously raised grave concerns about the plausible damage to the livelihood, ecology and displacement issues in Malkangiri and adjoining areas of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Convention also expressed deep anguish over the callous attitude and apathy meted out to them by the concerned authorities including Central Water Commission and Polavaram Project Authority, the BJD said.