Centre won’t interfere in Polavaram issue: Uma

Bhubaneswar: While there is a palpable discord between the Central government and Odisha owing to the ongoing construction of Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh, Union Water Resources minister Uma Bharti today washed her hands of the matter saying Polavaram is an inter-State issue and the Central government would not interfere in the matter.

Bharti, who is on a visit to Odisha, also informed at a press meet today that she will propose to the State government the plan for inter-liking Godavari-Mahanadi Rivers. In this regard, she will meet the State and Central government officials in the evening today.

CM and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik had tweeted recently “Odisha will fight for its rights in Polavaram to the finish.

Earlier, taking strong exception to the move of the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government to fast track the Polavaram project displacing tribals from some parts of Malkangiri and Rayagada districts, BJD had staged mass agitation and dharna in undivided Koraput district and in front of Raj Bhawan.