New Delhi: A delegation from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) met with two Union Ministers in New Delhi to voice urgent concerns over the Polavaram Project’s impact on tribal communities in Odisha’s Malkangiri District.
Team BJD led by Shri Debi Prasad Mishra, Senior Vice President and several Members of Parliament, met with Shri Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and Shri Jual Oram, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs.
The delegation expressed deep worry about the continued threat of submergence to large parts of Malkangiri caused by the project.
Team BJD noted that despite a meeting on December 4, 2024, with the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and other previous communications, there has been no significant response or action from central authorities.
The BJD delegation reminded the ministers of the Supreme Court’s observation from September 6, 2022, which emphasized the need for an independent, exhaustive backwater study, environmental clearances, and stakeholder consultations before any further project execution.
The delegation highlighted that while the project’s original environmental clearance was granted in 2005 and the Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) clearance in 2007, both were based on the original technical parameters from the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award.
They pointed out that the project’s scope was significantly expanded without obtaining fresh regulatory approvals, including new environmental and tribal affairs clearances. The MoEF&CC even issued a “Stop Work order” in 2011 after realizing the project’s scope had been enlarged.
To address these issues, the BJD has made several key demands:
- An immediate, fresh, and independent backwater study by the MoEF&CC to assess the project’s impact on Malkangiri and other nearby tribal areas.
- A transparent and comprehensive review of the environmental and social consequences, with a specific focus on tribal populations in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana.
- An impact assessment on the lives, livelihoods, and cultural heritage of tribal communities such as the Koya, Santal, and Bonda, to be conducted by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- Alignment of the project with the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal (GWDT) award and maintaining the “Stop Work Order” abeyance until the backwater study is completed.
The delegation stressed that an increased flood discharge capacity from 36 to 50 lakh cusecs, without proper environmental reassessment, has raised the risk of submergence and displacement in upstream areas, especially in Odisha. The recent sanction of ₹17,936 crores by the central government for the project’s completion has intensified fears among tribal communities who face an imminent threat to their ancestral lands and livelihoods.
The BJD also referenced a convention held on February 28, 2025, in Motu, Malkangiri, where affected stakeholders from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh united in opposition to the project’s arbitrary implementation.
The Biju Janata Dal is calling on the Union Government to uphold its constitutional duties toward tribal communities and ensure their voices are heard. The party stated that development should not come at the expense of displacement, deprivation, and the destruction of identity.
“The BJD remains committed to fighting for the rights and dignity of the people of Odisha and will continue to raise this issue at all appropriate platforms until justice is delivered,” said Dr.Priyabrata Majhi, Media Coordinator, Biju Janata Dal.