No Polavaram dam sans states nod: Centre

BHUBANESWAR: The Centre is reported to have taken a stand that the Andhra Pradesh Government cannot go ahead with the Polavaram dam without consent from Orissa and Chhattisgarh governments.Centre had recently granted environment and forest clearances to the Polavaram project despite strong protest from the State Government.The clearances had, however, come with conditions. No area from Orissa and Chhattisgarh should be submerged by the dam project being constructed on the AP side.The dam will submerge several villages in Malkangiri district of Orissa and parts of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.The proposal from the Andhra Pradesh Government for the construction of an embankment for preventing the submergence on Orissa side has not been able to convince the two state governments.EXPERT TEAM BRIEFED: Meanwhile, Orissa and Chhattisgarh governments have decided to jointly oppose the multipurpose project on the Godavari. A team from Orissa told the Supreme Court-appointed expert committee, which visited the project site last month, that the project work was going on without the approval of the Central Water Commission.Orissa has also raised objection to the flood water discharge, which was increased from 36 lakh cusecs to 50 lakh cusecs, acquisition of land for the project without any public hearing and to the change in design of the project as it would lead to submergence of large tracts of forest land and tribal villages in Orissa.The Orissa Government had also submitted a written memorandum to the expert team in this regard. A team from Chhattisgarh which was also present at the site decided to oppose the project jointly with Orissa. Like Orissa, Chhattisgarh would be badly affected by the Polavaram project.