Mahanadi Dispute: Union Minister Blames Odisha Govt, Says No Project Proposal Submitted In 22 Yrs

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu held Odisha government responsible for the dispute over Mahanadi water sharing.

Speaking to mediapersons during a visit to Rayagada and Koraput, Tudu said the state government has not written a single letter to any Central authority or government regarding the issue in the last 22 years. “The Odisha government has never submitted any proposal at the Central Water Commission (CWC) meeting,” he said.

On the matter of neighbouring Chhattisgarh going ahead with construction of barrages on Mahanadi, the Union minister said that government is doing it to meet the water needs of its people. But Odisha has not come up with any project on the river so far, he added.

“If Chhattisgarh is constructing barrages in upper catchment areas of the river, the Odisha government can take up similar projects in the lower catchment areas. But there has been no proposal from Odisha. We have prepared a detailed project report (DPR) to tackle water scarcity and water logging issues in the state,” Tudu said.

Appealing to the Odisha government to prepare the projects over Mahanadi, he said several development works can be implemented during the BJP government’s tenure for two more years, he added.