Ruling BJD Stalls Odisha Assy Over Polavaram Project

11 December, Bhubaneswar

The controversial Polavaram irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh stalled the winter session of the Odisha Assembly for the second day today during the week following a strong protest by the ruling BJD members in the house.

The Assembly for the second time during the last three days witnessed furore over the issue as the treasury bench members disrupted the proceedings forcing Speaker Niranjan Pujari to adjourn the house till 1500 hrs without transacting any business.

The Speaker adjourned the house at 1031hrs, a minute after the house assembled for the day to take up the question hour till 1500 hrs as the treasury bench trooped to the well of the house, shouted slogans against the Union government .

Soon after the house was adjourned till 1500 hours, the BJD members marched to the Raj Bhawan to submit a memorandum to the President through Governor S C Jamir to lodge their protest against the project which they argued was against the interest of the state.

The problem cropped up right from the beginning when the House assembled today at 1030hrs to take up the question hour business when the treasury bench members stood up on their seats and started shouting slogans against the Union government and demanded to stop the Polavaram irrigation project.

Some of the members including Prasanat Jagdev and Jyoti Panigrahi rushed to the well and started raising slogan.

Amid the din, the Speaker asked the Health and Family Welfare Minister to reply to a question. But the Minister could not reply due to protest from the treasury bench members. On finding no other option, the Speaker adjourned the house at 1031hrs till 1500hrs.BM