BJP Accuses BJD Of ‘Sleeping’ Over Polavaram Issue For Years After The Regional Party Threatens Stir

Bhubaneswar: Odisha BJP on Tuesday accused Biju Janata Dal (BJD) of sleeping over the ongoing dispute with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Polavaram multipurpose project.

Training guns on the regional party, BJP MP from Nabarangpur Balabhadra Majhi said that BJD is resorting to “cheap politics” to mask its inefficiency in handling the issue.

“Prior to sanctioning a dam project, an NOC from states which will be affected is mandatory. Coming to this project, in 2000, the Union Water Resources portfolio was held by a Minister from the BJD,” Majhi said.

He added that work on the project, in West Godavari district bordering Odisha’s Malkangiri, started in 2004. “Who in the Odisha government then, gave NOC for the project,” questioned Majhi.

Blaming the regional party for the stalemate, the BJP MP continued by saying that BJD supremo and former CM Naveen Patnaik headed the Water Resources department of Odisha government from 2000 to 2024.

“The party and former CM took no steps to halt the project and it is for their indecisiveness and faulty policies, people of Odisha are suffering today,” Majhi added.

According to the saffron party, Majhi had requested the then CM to raise Polavaram issue before centre multiple times, when he was a BJD MP from Nabarangpur. “However, the then CM had rejected his appeal,” a press note issued by the BJP read.

The BJP’s sharp retorts came after BJD leaders accused the state government, 3 Union Ministers from Odisha and 20 MPs of saffron party of “failing to protect Odisha’s interest” in Polavaram issue.

Earlier in the day, a committee setup by Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik to assess the impact of Polavaram project on the ground, submitted its report.

Members of the committee Atanu Sabyasachi, Pradeep Majhi and Bhrugu Baxipatra led by senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra visited Motu, Padia, and other likely-to-be affected areas in Malkangiri district to evaluate the impact of Polavaram project on Odisha.

Addressing a press meet at Sankha Bhavan in Bhubaneswar today, Mishra said that around 200 villages in Malkangiri district will be submerged when the Polavaram project becomes functional.

“The Polavaram project will irrigate 7 lakh acres land, produce 960 MW power, provide drinking water and facilitate industrial water supply to Vishakhapatnam, in Andhra Pradesh. However, backwaters of the same project will submerge almost 30% land in Odisha’s Malkangiri district,” Mishra said.

He said that state’s BJP government should take immediate steps and draw the centre’s attention to Odisha’s plight in this matter. “If the Polavaram project progresses by ignoring Odisha’s interests, the BJD will resort to an agitation,” Mishra added.

It may be noted that the centre has allocated Rs 15,000 crore to Polavaram in the Union Budget this year, with a commitment for completion by February 2026. The budget allocation prompted BJD and the party supremo to constitute a committee to review situation on the ground.

Also Read: BJD Forms Team To Review Polavaram Impact On Odisha; Political Stunt, Retorts BJP