BHUBANESWAR: As the Chhattisgarh government refuses to budge from its stand on release of Mahanadi water, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday sought intervention of Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati to resolve the dispute between two States.
Expressing concern over Chhattisgarh Government’s unilateral decision of not releasing water from Kalma barrage, Pradhan said such action of the neighbouring State has caused severe anguish among people in Odisha.
Writing a letter to Bharati on Wednesday, Pradhan said non-monsoon flow into Hirakud reservoir from the upper catchments of Mahanadi basin is showing a significant downward trend. The percentage of reduction has alarmingly gone up to 78 per cent in May, 2017.
“The stoppage of water from Kalma barrage has severely affected the water needs of the people in downstream areas of Mahanadi in peak summer month. This is contrary to the interest of people of Odisha,” Pradhan said.
If this trend is allowed to continue, Pradhan apprehended that there will be near stoppage of flow of water into Hirakud reservoir and in all likelihood will cause great loss to the reservoir and the downstream catchments of Odisha.
“I request you to advise Chhattisgarh Government for immediate opening of the gates of Kalma barrage to ensure free flow of water in Mahanadi river to mitigate the suffering of people of Odisha,” the letter stated.
Earlier on Sunday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also written to his Chhattisgarh counterpart Raman Singh to ensure free flow of water to downstream of Mahanadi by opening gates of Kalma barrage, which is one of the six major barrages constructed unilaterally by the neighbouring State.
Toughening his stand on the issue, the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister has advised the Odisha Government to approach the Central Water Commission (CWC) if it has any problem.