Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik has reiterated his strong protest against the controversial Pollavaram dam and irrigation project being constructed by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Patnaik told journalists in Bhubaneshwar that he had told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to have a re-look at the controversial project, saying it would submerge vast areas in Orissa.
He also expressed surprise at the centre's decision to accord 'national status' to the project, which has been strongly opposed by environmentalists. ''The project will submerge a large number of tribal villages in Orissa,'' he said.
Patnaik, who has steadfastly opposed the project in every possible forum, said he had told the prime minister that the ministry of environment and forests did not conduct any public hearing in Orissa before clearing the project. Nor did the union tribal affairs ministry take the Orissa government into confidence.
During his meeting with Prime Minister Dr Singh, Patnaik also sought a revision of the royalty payable on non-coal minerals, as it was last revised in 2004 and the next revision was already overdue since October 2007.
He drew the prime minister's attention to the recommendations of the 11th and 12th finance commissions that the state should be entitled to compensation in case the revision is not effected when it is due. Patnaik strongly urged that the royalty on non-coal minerals should be changed immediately to at least 20 per cent of the price of those minerals ad valorem.
He said while the mining royalty was not being revised for years together, the centre had been levying export duty on different ores which was not being passed on to the state. Such levies should be passed on to the states of origin of the exported ore, the chief minister urged.
Patnaik also spoke of the need to convert the Bhubaneswar-Chandikhol portion of the national highway into a six-lane highway in view of the heavy increase in traffic. He said that as the 'viability gap funding' was just about 38 per cent, the centre should sanction the "required funds".
Naveen also sought Manmohan's intervention in urgent utilisation of funds deposited by the state government in the CAMPA account with the ministry of environment and forests. He also requested the PM to increase funds for mid-day meals in view of the rise in prices of essential items.
In another meeting in the national capital with union human resource development minister Kapil Sibal, Patnaik said he stressed that the right to education bill passed in parliament would put an additional financial burden on the state, and the centre should increase allocations under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) from 50 to 75 per cent.
Elaborating on his meeting with Sibal, the chief minister said he had also requested the minister to expedite work on setting up a world class university at Bhubaneswar and include engineering and medical streams in the proposed central varsity at Koraput.
Patnaik also said he had taken up matters relating to expansion of the National Horticulture Mission and the setting up of a national fishery mission in the state with union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar.
"Mr Pawar has agreed to extend coverage of the horticulture mission to three more districts as against my request to add six districts," he said.
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