BHUBANESWAR: Even as Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments have started the process for amicable settlement of the Mahanadi river water dispute through dialogue, reports that the latter has constructed a sand bund at a place, about 12 km downstream of Kalma barrage, has again raised questions on the ongoing negotiations.
The state government has already voiced its strong opposition to the construction of the Kalma barrage and other upstream projects on the Mahanadi river by Chhattisgarh, pointing out that it will drastically reduce water flow to Hirakud Dam, impacting agriculture and drinking water in downstream districts.
Construction of another sand bund on the downstream of Mahanadi will further reduce the flow of water on the Odisha side. In the midst of these reports, sources in the state government maintained that the inter-ministerial committee on Mahanadi, headed by deputy chief minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, is likely to meet in the last week of January.
The committee is expected to take stock of the recent developments like Chhattisgarh government’s decision to construct a barrage on Udanti river and sand bund on Kalma barrage. The first meeting of the ministerial committee on December 23 had taken stock of the situation. Since the next hearing of the Mahanadi river water dispute tribunal will be held on February 7, the ministerial committee will meet again to decide the course of action, sources added.
Meanwhile, addressing a mediaconference here, convenor of Mahanadi Bachao Andolan Sudarsan Das said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi should immediately write to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on the issue since the two sides have agreed for a negotiated settlement of the dispute.
Das said a delegation of the organisation will travel from Kalma to Sukhsodha, inspecting the riverbanks from January 22 to 25 and collect data, which will be shared with the state government. A request for a meeting with the chief minister of Chhattisgarh has also been made, he added.