Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is all set to move Supreme Court in protest of setting up of the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) for fast tracking implementation of the controversial mega irrigation project over Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh.
Water Resource secretary Suresh Mohapatra on Wednesday told reporters that the government would file a petition in the apex court challenging the Centre's decision to set up the PPA when the issue was still sub judice.
The Union Cabinet on May 1 had approved establishment of PPA under the Union Water Resources Ministry. The PPA is meant to fast-track the project by clearing all hurdles.
The Odisha government which had filed at least four cases challenging the implementation of the controversial project, said it was wrong to set up the PPA before judgement of the cases. The state government had first moved the Supreme Court after MoEF had given its interim approval for the project in 2008.
Thereafter, the state filed another petition in the Supreme Court opposing the Centre's decision to give an environmental nod for the Rs 10,000-crore Polavaram power project proposed on the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh.
The state government had argued that Andhra Pradesh had no right to proceed with the project. It had also stated that embankments were not permanent solutions to effectively contain submergence during floods.
The Odisha government maintained that a large chunk of forest land and a number of tribal villages in the Malkangiri district would be submerged if the Polavaram project was constructed with its present design.
Water Resource secretary Suresh Mohapatra on Wednesday told reporters that the government would file a petition in the apex court challenging the Centre's decision to set up the PPA when the issue was still sub judice.
The Union Cabinet on May 1 had approved establishment of PPA under the Union Water Resources Ministry. The PPA is meant to fast-track the project by clearing all hurdles.
Thereafter, the state filed another petition in the Supreme Court opposing the Centre's decision to give an environmental nod for the Rs 10,000-crore Polavaram power project proposed on the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh.
Advertisement
The Odisha government maintained that a large chunk of forest land and a number of tribal villages in the Malkangiri district would be submerged if the Polavaram project was constructed with its present design.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Restrictive Statutory Provisions Don't Prevent Bail: Supreme Court Publish NEET-UG Results City-Wise And Centre-Wise, Supreme Court Tells NTA "GPS, 7-Layer Security": Exam Body's Defence In Supreme Court NEET Case World's Largest Isolated Tribe Makes Rare Appearance In New Footage Barack Obama Wants Joe Biden To Pull Out Of US Presidential Race: Report 32 Dead In Bangladesh Unrest, Protesters Set Fire To State TV Headquarters NEET PG 2024: Test Cities Out For Postgraduate Medical Entrance Exam After 53 Years, Mortar Shells From 1971 Indo-Pak War Found In Fish Pond "Humanitarian Crisis Due To Israel-Hamas Conflict Concerning": India At UN Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.