BHUBANESWAR: Water Resources minister Tukuni Sahu on Friday informed the Assembly that the construction of six barrages by the Chhattisgarh government on the upper reaches of the Mahanadi river had obstructed the flow of water to Odisha.
In her statement on the Mahanadi river water dispute given as per the instruction of Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha, the minister said the Odisha government is fighting with all sincerity to protect the interests of the state. She said the flow of water decreases in the river in the non-monsoon periods because Chhattisgarh utilises 27.48 million acres of water. The minister said in 2000 that the chief minister had demanded the release of 2 million acre-feet of water for Odisha.