Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s main opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday mounted a scathing attack on Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai over his statement claiming that the long-standing Mahanadi River water issue “is not a dispute.”
In a press statement issued by BJD, BJD vice-president and former minister Pratap Jena said the views expressed by the Chhattisgarh chief minister on Mahanadi issue were unacceptable.
The regional party accused Chhattisgarh of being the sole creator of the crisis.
While welcoming Sai’s visit to Odisha to seek blessings at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, BJD warned that his remarks have sparked serious doubts among the public regarding whether the current Odisha government will surrender the state’s vital water rights.
Stating that the conflict stems from Chhattisgarh’s construction of several upstream barrages on the Mahanadi River, BJD said the move has severely curtailed water flow during non-monsoon months.
The dispute remains under adjudication before a tribunal constituted under Supreme Court directions. BJD has consistently demanded that these upper-reach barrages be declared illegal and that Odisha’s non-monsoon water share be strictly guaranteed.
Jena criticised the BJP-led government in Odisha, and said that despite promises made under a “triple-engine” governance model, the Mahanadi issue remains unresolved after two and a half years in power.
The BJD leader drew parallels to past issues like the Polavaram project and the MMDR Amendment Act, alleging that Odisha’s interests were repeatedly sidelined.
Reiterating the party’s firm stance, Jena warned that BJD would take to the streets if any attempts are made to compromise Odisha’s natural resources and ecological future under the guise of mutual discussions.