SAMBALPUR: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Sunday said water dispute between Chhattisgarh and Odisha can be resolved with the help of Centre.
Pujari who was here for a review of Hirakud dam and flood management in the Mahanadi river system said data sharing between officials of the two states has resumed.
“I was told Chhattisgarh officials were not cooperating with Odisha but now they have initiated communication and sharing data. It is good news. We will take steps to resolve the issue with the intervention of the Central government and prepare a plan to conserve water in the downstream,” the revenue minister said.
Pujari said he has sought a detailed report on the water dispute. “We can get a clear idea after going through the report. The matter is also pending with the Central Water Commission (CWC),” he added.
The minister warned industries drawing water from Hirakud dam but evading taxes saying they will not be spared. Jharsuguda and Sambalpur administrations have been directed to prepare a record of the pending water taxes and make recovery, he said.
Several industries are availing water from Hirakud but not paying taxes to the Water Resources Department. “Not only taxes will be collected from the industries but those releasing effluent into Mahandi river will be dealt with strictly,” he said.
The revenue minister said the problems on the upstream, downstream and water-related issues in Bargarh and Jharsuguda as well as flood management can be tackled more effectively using modern technology which was discussed in the meeting.
“Concerns pertaining to major and minor maintenance of flood management infrastructure in the periphery of the dam were also discussed and I have asked the district administration to suggest a roadmap for the same,” he added.
When Hirakud dam was being constructed, the Water Resources department had acquired land from Revenue Department in Hirakud, Chiplima, Sambalpur and Burla. But most of the land is of no use to the department anymore and can be distributed among the landless people. Many residents of Burla and Sambalpur do have permanent land pattas. They could get at least four decimal each, he said.
Such meetings to address multi-faceted problems were hardly convened in the last few years. “I have decided to form a committee comprising representatives of Bargarh, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts to solve the inter-departmental problems. The collector will submit a proposal and it will be approved by the state government,” he added.
The meeting discussed flood water management in Mahanadi basin and Hirakud dam, information on water inflow from Chhattisgarh, management of surplus land under Water Resources department and relinquishment of villages by the department.