Protests over controversial projects by Andhra Pradesh continue in southern Odisha districts — Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada — even as the two state governments work towards evolving an institutional mechanism to address contentious issues as agreed during the November 9 meeting between two chief ministers Naveen Patnaik and his AP counterpart Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in Bhubaneswar.

Three projects — the Polavaram multi-purpose project over Godavari, the Neradi project on Vamsadhara river and the Jhanjabati project on Jhanjabati river — are likely to impact the people of Odisha residing close to Andhra border adversely.

While the Polavaram project is likely to submerge at least 40 villages in the tribal-dominated Malkangiri district, parts of Gunupur and Kashinagar in Rayagada district will be affected by the Neredi project. The project over the Jhanjabati river will cause displacement of population in around 10 villages of Koraput district.

The Odisha government has constituted an eight-member committee headed by chief secretary to deliberate on bilateral issues of mutual interest between the state and Andhra. “We have already issued a notification to this effect. We will work closely on resolving the issues relating to Kotia cluster of villages and any other boundary issues, Polavaram, Neradi barrage, Jhanjabati river, release of water for Bahuda river and mutual NOCs for the Balimela and Upper Sileru in energy sector,” said a senior official of the revenue department. The official added that the Andhra and Odisha governments had informed the Supreme Court that they were working closely towards settlement of issues of mutual interests.

However, local people in the Mottu area of Malkangiri have reportedly decided to step up their agitation against the Polavaram project. Andhra is continuing work on the project despite objections from Odisha.

Patnaik has written to the Centre several times pointing to the damage that people in Malkangiri will suffer if the project is allowed to go ahead in its present form.

“People in the Mottu tehsil are particularly upset as they will be directly affected by the Polavaram project. We urge the chief minister to do everything within his powers to protect the interests of his people. He must prevail upon the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government to alter the project design,” said Jitendra Beura of Malkangiri.

Similarly, people in Rayagada’s Kashinagar are worried about the impact of the Neredi project which would result in floods in the area almost every year. It will also cause displacement of people in some villages. “This cannot be allowed. We will continue our protests against the project,” said a local resident.

Opposition party leaders, too, have been expressing concern over these projects being aggressively pursued by Andhra Pradesh. These projects are certainly not in the best interests of Odisha,” said Congress MP from Koraput, Saptagiri Sankar Ullaka.

The November 9 meeting between Patnaik and Reddy had taken place in the backdrop of mounting tension between the two states over some contentious inter-state projects and their claim of ownership to the Kotia group of villages. Tension flared up in the Kotia panchayat, which is part of Koraput’s Pottangi tehsil, a few months ago when the Andhra Pradesh government conducted panchayat elections in some of the villages despite protests by Odisha officials.