Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday announced the schedule for the second phase Mahanadi Suraksha Abhiyan which will be kicked off by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on May 16.
Announcing this at a press briefing at the party’s headquarters office here, BJD leader Pratap Jena said the chief minister would lead the campaign at Sukhasoda village under Lekhanpur block in Jharsuguda district at 9 am and then at Chikhli village of Ambabhona block in Bargarh district at 10 am.
The rally would pass through 15 districts namely Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Boudh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Khurda, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Puri and Jagatsinghpur.
“The grim realities of the Mahanadi river would be showcased at public meetings, roadside meetings and cultural programmes in the villages and towns on the routes of the rally. Besides, booklets and leaflets would be distributed among people to apprise them of the conspiracy by the Chhattisgarh government to dry up Mahanadi which has been exposed by the Odisha government and its terrible repercussions on the people of Odisha. Besides, diyas would be offered to the Lords in all old temple on both sides of the river including Maa Samaleswari in Sambalpur and Lord Gadagadeswar in Cuttack,” Jena said.
Stating that the BJD has taken a pledge to intensify its campaign and would never back out till its legitimate demands are met, he said his party has requested the students, youth, farmers, women and fishermen communities as well as all social organisations, political parties, think-tanks and above all the people of Odisha to actively participate in the mass awareness rally.
Among others, BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra, general secretary Sanjay Dasburma, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and state secretary Bijay Nayak were present.
