BHUBANESWAR: A BJD team which visited the Polavaram dam site has demanded that Andhra Pradesh should share the project details with Odisha government so that the number of villages to be affected in the state can be ascertained.
The team including former ministers Debi Prasad Mishra, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, former MP Pradeep Majhi and Bhrugu Baxipatra visited the dam site in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh for two days. The party leaders will submit their report to BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Monday.
Majhi said the Andhra Pradesh government is set to start work on the main dam and powerhouse in November. As Odisha is expected to suffer significant losses from the project without gaining any benefit, the BJD has been opposing it since its inception.
The former MP said the BJD will demand construction of embankments on both sides of Sileru and Saberi rivers in Malkangiri district for protection of villages in Odisha. The BJP government in Odisha should put pressure on Andhra Pradesh for construction of the embankments.
He further said the BJD will demand adequate compensation from Andhra Pradesh government for the people to be affected by the project in Odisha. Nearly 6,000 people, mostly tribals, are likely to be affected by the dam.
The team members said a decision should be taken on the height of the main dam in keeping with the interest of tribal people of Odisha. They announced that the BJD will launch agitation in Malkangiri and at Bhubaneswar seeking adequate compensation and construction of embankments to protect the vulnerable population in Odisha.
Earlier, a fact-finding team of BJD had submitted an extensive report on the project after visiting Motu, Alma and Peta Binayakpur villages in Malkangiri district. The team also took opinions of the locals regarding the project.