Address Polavaram issue: BJD

Former minister and senior BJD leader Jayaram Pangi who hails from the undivided Koraput district bordering Andhra Pradesh has appealed both the governments of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to find amicable solution of the Polavaram controversy.

“People of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh have close socio-cultural and economic ties. They have always stood by each other at the time of natural calamities and other crisis. It is time they both sit together and find some practical solutions to the Polavaram problem,” Mr Pangi told this newspaper on Friday.

Dwelling upon the past efforts at solving the Polavaram issue, Mr Pangi, who is now Koraput district BJD president, said in 1978, the then Orissa CM Nilamani Routray, former Malkangiri MLA Naka Kanaya and he himself, had a detailed discussion with the Andhra Pradesh government regarding the Polavaram reservoir issue and it was agreed that both the states would take each other into confidence while establishing the project.

“However, this has not happened. Many things have been kept hidden from Orissa,” he added.

“It was then agreed that while grounding the project, both the states would exchange information regarding irrigation and other potentialities of reservoir, people to be affected in both the states, and would address any other issue that might come up during the construction phase. However, this has not happened. Many things have been kept hidden from Orissa. The Centre has not played its role impartially to address Orissa’s concern, which has led to commotion among the people in the state,” he said.

People of at least six south Orissa districts, including Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Ganjam and Gajapati, have close cultural affinity with Andhra Pradesh. They also have sizeable number of the Telugu population, which have strong business ties with Andhra cities like Vizag, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Ram Bhadrapuram, Palasa and Icchapuram and Vijayawada.

On the other hand, hundreds of tourists and pilgrims visit Gupteswar in Koraput district and Maa Majhi Ghariani temple in Rayagada districts, besides making trips to other eco-tourism spots like Bonda Hills and Deomali Hills.