Mahanadi Water Dispute: BJD To Hold Mass Convention On Apr 15

Photograph: Suprakash Mishra

Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday announced its decision to organise a mass convention on Mahanadi issue on April 15 at its party headquarters here.

“The Centre is yet to constitute a tribunal to sort out the longstanding Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments despite of the Supreme Court directive issued in this regard recently. It is unfortunate that the Chhattisgarh has now hatched a conspiracy to dry out the Ib River by constructing a barrage on its major tributary, the Maini River”, BJD general secretary Sanjay Das Burma said in a press conference here.

Unilateral construction on the river will adversely affect the people of 15 districts of Odisha as they will suffer acute water scarcity. The construction work should be stopped immediately, Das Burma added.

Mahanadi is drying up due to the closure of all the 66 gates of Kalma barrage by Chhattisgarh government and it has largely affected the districts which depend on Mahanadi, he added further.

Elected representatives from 15 districts of the state will participate in the meeting to discuss and prepare strategy for future course of action regarding the matter, he added further.

On the other hand, BJP state unit vice president Sameer Mohanty said, “The BJD government is attempting to cover up its inefficiencies. It should present detail information on last year’s water flow.

Odisha is facing acute shortage of water unannounced power cuts, the BJD is orchestrating an act similar to the Kalash Jatra and Melani, Mohanty added.