Congress demands Lower Kolab project

Bhubaneswar, Oct 12 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in Orissa Assembly and senior Congress leader J B Pattnaik today reiterated his demand for the Lower Kolab project to benefit the tribals of Malkangiri district.

Mr Pattnaik told newspersons here the potential of the lower Kolab project has been ignored by the BJD-BJP government. He claimed that if implemented, the project would not only provide irrigation to 1.5 lakh acres of land but also generate nearly 400 MW of power in the tribal dominated Malkangiri district.

The former Chief Minister said such a project was also essential to prevent the unutilised water flowing into Polavaram Dam project constructed by the Andhra Pradesh government on Godavari river.

He said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was shedding crocodile tears on the development of the tribals in the state when his government was silent over the implementation of the lower Kolab project knowing well that it would bring a sea change in the economy of the tribals of Malkangiri.

The Congress leader dubbed the government clarification justifying the boycott of the meeting convened by the Union Water Resource Minister to discuss the Polavaram project as nothing but an escapist attitude.

The government, he said should have attended the meeting and placed its view point before the Union Minister. By staying away from the meeting the government, he said he had only acted against the interest of the state.

Mr Pattnaik also refuted the government clarification that flow of water from the lower Kolab to the Godavari river would be mere six per cent and in no way affect the prospects of Polavaram project constructed by the Andhra Pradesh government.

He asked the state government to come out with the details on what basis such a calculation has been made otherwise it would be constructed that it had adopted a vague stand just not to go ahead with the Lower Kolab project.

UNI DP AKM SHB ND2238