BHUBANESWAR: Cuttack MP and BJP candidate from the seat Bhartruhari Mahtab on Tuesday targeted the Naveen Patnaik government over its failure in solving water crisis and creation of additional storage capacity in the state.
With the Central Water Commission reporting that four rivers have completely dried up in south Odisha, Mahtab told a media conference here that while the water of Mahanadi river has become unfit for human consumption, water-level in rivers, reservoirs, canals and other natural resources in almost all districts of the state is also on the verge of depletion. The water crisis has started affecting rabi crops, he said.
He said the government’s first priority is to supply drinking water to all households besides ensuring sufficient water for agriculture. Water to industry should be the thírd priority. But the priority of the state government is to supply water to industries.
Expressing concern over the callous attitude of the government, Mahtab who switched camp to BJP recently, said the ruling BJD has miserably failed both in water conservation and creation of additional storage capacity by constructing barrages and small dams in rivers of the state. He said water in Hirakud dam and two downstream barrages is depleting fast due to heatwave condition and its low entry into the dam. “Despite being in power for the last 24 years, this government has not taken any steps to conserve rainwater and water flowing into the sea by constructing more number of barrages,” he rued.
He said the Narendra Modi government is providing adequate financial assistance to the state under Jal Jeevan Mission for supply of clear and pure drinking water through tap.
“The Centre had given more than Rs 10,000 crore in five years to the state for supply of tap water but the CAG report says that only Rs 824 crore have been utilised by the state government. As a result, 24 lakh families in rural areas and 31 per cent in urban areas are deprived of getting safe drinking water,” Mahtab said.
The six-time MP alleged that the people living on the banks of river Mahanadi are facing water crisis which has never been the case in the past. He attributed the recent spread of cholera in Sambalpur to poor water quality in Mahanadi river.
He also expressed his concern over release of waste water into Kuakhai, Daya, Kathajodi, Mahanadi, Brahmani and other rivers of the state and inaction of the state government.