The Supreme Court has not said the Centre can not allocate fund for the project. “The Centre has respected the verdict of the apex court and will abide by its verdict on this issue”, he told media persons after attending the CSR Conclave 2016 organised by the leading Odia channel OTV at Mayfair Convention Centre here.
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The central government has declared the Polavaram irrigation project as a national project and made a decision to bear all expenses for it.
The Odisha government had filed a case in the Supreme Court against the project, which is likely to submerge some parts in Malkangiri district.
“The matter is also under consideration of the National Green Tribunal (NGT)”.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held a meeting with BJD leaders of south Orissa at Naveen Niwas to chalk out strategy to take on the Andhra Pradesh government and Centre on the issue.
Maintaining that the party would fight tooth and nail against the project, he said it clearly shows the step motherly attitude of the central government.
“The Centre has sanctioned financial assistance for construction of Polavaram project under the legal framework”.
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“The Odisha government can not conduct public hearing at this stage without the direction of the apex court as it will violate the law”, state forest and environment secretary S C Mohapatra told newspersons here. “This apart, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MOTA) has also given its permission to the project in 2007 without a public hearing even as the people of the Scheduled Areas will be affected by the Polavaram project”. That is probably the reason they are pressing for a public hearing so that the process can be regularised. The Supreme Court directed the Andhra Pradesh High Court to transfer the case to the apex court on February 27, 2003 following request from Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board. It contested the grant of environment clearance without holding public hearing. But, Polavarm project got environmental clearance in 2005 without any public hearing.
