The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday warned it will protest if Odisha’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Malkangiri are harmed by the Polavaram irrigation project. The Opposition party claims the project lacks valid environmental clearances for its revised parameters from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Senior BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal initially set the project’s flood discharge capacity at 36 lakh cusecs, with a dam height of 140 feet and submergence level at Konta of 174.22 feet. "However, in 2006, the project was unilaterally revised to 50 lakh cusecs without consulting Odisha or other affected states," he said. Mishra added that the ministry has repeatedly postponed its 'Stop Work Order' without holding public hearings in Odisha, as required by law. Odisha has challenged various clearances in the Supreme Court for violating environmental rules. He noted that Andhra Pradesh’s backwater study, based on the revised capacity, places the submergence level at 220 feet at Konta. Meanwhile, a study by IIT Roorkee for Odisha estimates a discharge of 58 lakh cusecs and submergence reaching 232 feet. The BJD demands a fresh, independent study before the project proceeds.