BHUBANESWAR: With the ruling BJD intensifying its agitation against the Centre and Chhattisgarh Government over the Mahanadi river water dispute by launching Kalas Yatra in Western Odisha districts, the State BJP on Wednesday sought intervention of the Centre to resolve the issue.
A delegation of BJP leaders from the State led by Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan called on Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti in New Delhi and requested her to sort out Mahanadi water dispute at the earliest.
“I will hold a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh on a mutually convenient date between September 10 and 20, 2016 in New Delhi to ensure that no injustice is done to Odisha,” Bharti told reporters after the meeting.
The Union Water Resources Minister said she will write to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik requesting him to give a date for the proposed meeting. Whatever date will be convenient to him between September 10 and 20 is acceptable, said Bharti.
“After getting Naveen’s reply, I will talk to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on the proposed meeting,” she said.
Bharti said a meeting was called by her Ministry on July 29, 2016 at New Delhi which was attended by officials from Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
After this, she made a statement in Parliament according to which both the States had to exchange information with each other on the issue. Bharti said she has directed officials of her Ministry to complete this task of information exchange at the earliest.
Stating that the BJP is equally concerned about the unilateral construction of barrages on the upstream of Mahanadi river, Pradhan said he has apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the inter-State water dispute.
Though the July 29 meeting decided that Chhattisgarh will provide all information on the projects completed, under construction and construction proposals on the upstream of Mahanadi to Odisha with 15 days, the neighbouring State has failed in its commitment.
Meanwhile, the State Government has sent a reminder to Chhattisgarh and Central Water Commission (CWC) seeking relevant information on the irrigation projects on Mahanadi and its tributaries.
State BJP president Basanta Panda, leader of BJP legislature party KV Singhdeo, former minister Manmohan Samal, national secretary Suresh Pujari, State unit vice-president Samir Mohanty, Bhrugu Baxipatra and Pruthiraj Harichandan were part of the delegation.