Bhubaneswar: Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs Bishweswar Tudu said Monday that all the disputes over river water distribution between Odisha and other states would be resolved soon, and that the Mahanadi water row with Chhattisgarh could have been resolved if there had been sincere efforts.
Tudu, who returned to Odisha for the first time after becoming a Union minister, said this during his visit to Lord Lingaraj Temple here. The tribal leader from Mayurbhanj district was given a grand welcome by the state BJP.
The minister said he has already taken up cases of Odisha’s water dispute with other states and “I will put all my efforts to resolve the ssues”.
Tudu is on a six-day Jan Ashriwad Jatra, a public outreach programme, in the state from Monday.
On Odisha’s dispute with Chhattishgarh over distribution of Mahanadi river water, Tudu said, “Every dispute can be resolved through dialogue. Both the states should have made some sacrifices to come to a mutually acceptable agreement. But it has not happened.”
The Mahanadi water dispute is under consideration of a tribunal which was set up on March 12, 2018, under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 for adjudication. The Odisha government had moved the Supreme Court in 2016 seeking a direction to Chhattisgarh to stop construction of barrages and dams in the upstream of the Mahanadi river. The state had also sought the formation of a tribunal to resolve the issue.
In January 2018, the apex court directed the Centre to form a tribunal to settle the matter.
Tudu said the Centre used to provide regular funds to all states for development of the tribal population. “It is also the responsibility of state governments to make use of the funds for the welfare of the tribals,” he said.
After his visit to Lord Lingaraj Temple in the state capital, Tudu went to Puri for a darshan of the Trinity – Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath.
During his stay in the state, he will tour his Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha constituency and some parts of Balasore to meet people and seek their blessings and cooperation, Tudu said.
PTI