BHUBANESWAR: Political parties, including the BJD and Congress, on Tuesday threatened to intensify agitation against the Centre demanding formation of a tribunal to adjudicate the Mahanadi river water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Leaders of 13 political parties staged a demonstration in front of Raj Bhawan here to protest against the Centre’s dilly dallying attitude on the issue of formation of the tribunal. However, BJP stayed away from the demonstration organised by the Mahanadi Banchao Andolan (MBA).
As the next step of the agitation, a demonstration to be attended by leaders of several political parties will be organised at New Delhi on December 18 to protest against the Centre’s attitude, said Sudarshan Das, convenor of MBA.
A delegation from all political parties along with Das submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind through Govenor SC Jamir demanding his intervention for formation of the tribunal for adjudication of the dispute. The memorandum also demanded that all ongoing projects on river Mahanadi by Chhattisgarh government should be stopped and completed projects should not be made operational till the dispute is resolved by the tribunal.
BJD vice-president and former minister Debi Prasad Mishra, BJD Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya and Bhubaneswar Mayor Anant Narayan Jena, former ministers Ganeswar Behera and Judhistir Jena, Lalatendu Mohapatra of the Congress, Dibakar Nayak, Ramakrushna Panda and Narayan Reddy of the CPI, Arjya Kumar Gyanendra of Trinamool Congress, president of State unit Samajwadi Party Rabi Behera and president of State unit Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Harish Mohapatra participated in the demonstration.
Government chief whip Amar Prasad Satpathy moved a motion in the Assembly over Mahanadi river water dispute with Chhattisgarh. Sources said, the business advisory committee of Assembly will decide the date for discussion.
Meanwhile, Senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra said, the Assembly should pass an unanimous resolution demanding immediate constitution of a tribunal to adjudicate the river water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. He said the resolution should demand construction of all projects by Chhattisgarh Government should be stopped.