Sambalpur: Members of Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwyay Samiti (POKSSS), a farmers’ outfit of western Orissa, Tuesday condemned the mudslinging between political parties over the issue of barrage construction on the upper catchment area of the Mahanadi by the Chhattisgarh government.
Instead of taking initiatives to stop the construction, both BJD and BJP have politicised the issue to gain mileage, convener of the outfit Ashok Kumar Pradhan told mediapersons Tuesday at a press conference held at Sanskrutika Samaj Bhawan here in the town.
The outfit demanded the review of an inter-state MoU signed in 1983 and protection of the interests of people living along Mahanadi, failing which the outfit said it would stage a statewide stir over the issue.
The organisation alleged the state’s economy as well as the livelihood of thousands of farmers is at stake due to Chhattisgarh’s unconstitutional move and the silence of the Central Water Commission and the Centre. Besides, both the state governments are attempting to reduce the lifespan of the Mahanadi, which is considered to be the lifeline of Orissa people. While Chhattisgarh, the outfit alleged, is spearheading rampant industrialisation and building barrages on the upper part of the Mahanadi, Orissa is trying to make the most of the water of the lower catchment area. Instead of resolving the issue, the Centre and the states are blaming each other which will affect the farmers, POKSSS said.
The outfit said it staged a massive demonstration in 2009 opposing misutilisation of Hirakud dam water. It had alerted the state government about the hidden anti-Orissa agenda of Chhattisgarh at that time, another convener of the outfit Lingaraj claimed. Besides, POKSSS also demanded a bilateral discussion between both the states during 2006-07. According to them, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan, officials of water resources department and farmers’ representatives also had a discussion over the issue March 7, 2008. The members of POKSSS drew the attention of concerned authorities towards the proposed 10 major and 38 medium irrigation projects by Chhattisgarh against the interests of the state. After eight years to that incident, the state government’s claims of ignorance about the Chhattisgarh projects is extremely unfortunate, they said.
The situation would have been different had the state government put the interests of the people above everything else, the outfit members alleged.
Among others farmers’ leaders, Saroj, Zilla Krushak Surakhya Sangathan vice-president Umesh Chandra Mishra and secretary Byomkesh Thakur were present at the press meet. PNN