Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has raised concerns over the possible impact of Andhra Pradesh's Polavaram project on the tribal communities in Odisha's Malkangiri district.

The party has expressed apprehension following the recent budgetary allocation to the project by the Centre and its commitment to complete it by February 2026, which has triggered fears among the locals.

A 'fact-finding' team from the BJD, led by former minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, visited the Motu and Padia tehsils in Malkangiri to assess the potential consequences of the Polavaram project.

The team presented its findings to party president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, highlighting the grave concerns of the local communities.

In its report, the team noted that the residents of Motu and Padia blocks are facing significant threats to their lives, livelihoods, and cultural heritage due to the anticipated submergence caused by the project. The report emphasized that the Centre's budgetary allocation and the planned completion timeline have heightened fears among the tribal inhabitants of nearly 200 villages in these blocks.

The Polavaram project, situated on the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh's Eluru district, is designed to irrigate over 4.3 lakh hectares of land, generate 960 MW of hydropower, and supply drinking water to approximately 30 lakh people in 611 villages.

Additionally, it will divert 80 TMC of water to the Krishna River basin. The potential submergence and displacement of tribal communities in Odisha remain major concerns as the project progresses.