Opposition keeps off House panel

BHUBANESWAR: With the Opposition deciding not to be a part of the House Committee announced by Speaker Pradip Amat on the controversial Sindol hydro power project, the State Government finds itself in a piquant situation.Sources said the committee may not take off as it will lose its representative character without the participation of the Opposition members.  The Speaker also refused to elaborate on the issue as whether a committee can function in this manner. Talking to this paper, the Speaker said the House Committee has been announced.  The first meeting of the committee is yet to be convened, he said, adding that the future course of action will be decided in the meeting.Announcing the committee, the Speaker had asked the Government not to proceed with any project work till it submits the report.  The committee was announced  after members, cutting across party lines, wanted the project to be scrapped as it would submerge a large number of villages in Sambalpur, Boudh and Sonepur districts.Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh and senior MLA Santosh Singh Saluja were made members of the committee from the Congress.  However, Congress chief whip Prasad Harichandan announced in the House that no member from the party will be part of the committee.  Similarly, BJP Legislature Party leader K V Singhdeo said party MLA Jaynarayan Mishra, who was made a member, has already resigned from the committee.The BJD has also announced that a decision will be taken on the project after the committee submits its report.  But the moot question now is whether the committee will go ahead without Opposition members.  The Speaker did not give a reply to queries in this regard. After the announcement of the House Committee, the Government has also not proceeded with its decision for a public hearing on the project.