BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan once again advised the State Government to keep the doors open for a negotiated settlement with Chhattisgarh on Mahanadi water dispute.
Launching a counter-attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who accused State BJP of supporting the Chhattisgarh Government on the contentious issue, Pradhan said the ruling BJD is more interested to politicise the issue for political gains. “Instead of trying for a solution, the Chief Minister is creating panic among the people for narrow political gains,” Pradhan said.
Countering the Chief Minister’s accusation of BJP shedding crocodile tears on the issue, Pradhan asked the CM to explain if he is trying the resolve the problem by staging political protest or it is an effort to hoodwink the people for cheap political gains.
Launching the Mahanadi Surakshya Jatra at Sukhasoda in Jharsuguda district, the Chief Minister accused both the Centre and Chhattisgarh governments of adopting an anti-Odisha approach. He further criticised the State BJP leaders for shedding crocodile tears while supporting Chhattisgarh on the Mahanadi issue. The Union Minister said resolution of the disputes by the Mahanadi Water Dispiute Tribunal will take a long time. As the State Government has shut all the doors for discussion with Chhattigarh, this will only affect the interest of Odisha.