Odisha tribals oppose Polavaram; launch padyatra to Bhadrachalam

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Kalimela, July 3:

Voices opposing the controversial Polavaram project in Seemandhra got louder at a gathering of leaders of various organizations from Odisha, Seemandhra, Chhattisgarh and Telengana at Peta village under Padia block in Odisha’s Malkangiri district on Wednesday.

Hundreds of tribals with leaders of different organizations held a meeting at Alma village before embarking on a padyatra from Peta village to Bhadrachalam in Khammam district of Telangana protesting against the Polavaram project, which is likely to submerge several villages in Odisha, Seemandhra, Chhattisgarh and Telengana.

The opposition to the project is spearheaded by Peoples Against Polavaram (PAP) led by its secretary Dari Linga. The meeting attended by K Murali, Venkat Rula from Telengana, J Ramesh, Arun and others from Osmania University and several other leaders from Chhattisgarh voiced their opposition to the Polavaram project.

Koya tribals dressed in their traditional attires with bow and arrows marched in the padyatra, which passed through Pusuguda, Murliguda and Motu before reaching Konta in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday late in the evening, reports said.

The padyatra will reach Bhadrachalam on July 15.