Water Initiatives Orissa: Issue Notes

Date: 13th August, 2010

Dear All,
Greetings from Water Initiatives Orissa !

While in the POSCO case, the government of Orissa has gone to the
extent of questioning the credibility of N.C.Saxena committee and has
rejected the right of tribals and poor over forests, in the Polavaram case,
it has done the opposite.

In this case, the government has gone to the extent of pointing out about
Gram Sabhas not being held, opposition of the government not being
recorded. Back in the state, most of the mining and industrial projects
are sanctioned by the state government in similar fashions.

While we wholeheartedly support Orissa government's stand on the

Polavaram project, we urge the government to shed the double standards
and scrap the POSCOs and Vedantas in the state.

With thanks and regards,

Ranjan

Water Initiatives Orissa: Fighting water woes, combating climate

change.... more than two decades now!

Cell: +919437050103
Email: ranjanpanda@gmail.com

Orissa writes to Centre for its withdrawal

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government today demanded immediate withdrawal of forest clearance
accorded to Polavaram irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh.

Official sources said the Government had lodged a strong protest with the Union Environment and Forest
ministry over the forest clearance given to the Polavaram project. The State Water Resources Department had
written to the Union Environment and Forests Ministry in this connection.

About 2,000 families, mostly tribals living in Maoist-hit Malkangiri district, would be affected if the irrigation
project comes up in Andhra Pradesh. Neither any ‘Gram Sabha’ was held nor the Orissa Government’s
opposition to the project was taken into consideration before giving forest clearance to the irrigation project.

Orissa also questioned the manner in which the Forest Ministry gave clearance to the project when the matter
has been sub judice. Protesting the project, the Orissa Government had filed a petition in the Supreme Court
challenging the Andhra Government’s decision to set up an irrigation project at Polavaram. Besides
submerging a large chunk of forest and agricultural lands in Orissa, the project would leave many tribal
families homeless, they argued.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in separate letters, apprised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union
Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh of the resentment over Polavaram project.
The State Government maintained that according forest clearance to the Polavaram project is a clear violation
of law of the land.
The issue cropped up in the recently concluded Assembly session with several BJD members demanding that
a resolution be passed in the House opposing the Centre’s decision. Several villages in Malkangiri district will
submerge if the project is implemented without changing the design, they said.

Several BJD leaders also told this paper that this has again exposed the bias of the Centre towards the State.
While no gram sabha was held in the villages, to be submerged on the Orissa side due to the Polavaram
project, the ministry has taken almost the same plea to consider withdrawing clearance to the Posco steel
project, they said.

Source: http://expressbuzz.com/states/orissa/orissa-writes-to-centre-for-its-withdrawal/196972.html