Bhubaneswar: A political slugfest started Monday in Odisha over the release of water from the Mahanadi river by the Chhattisgarh government both during the monsoon and at other times during the year. All the parties including the BJD, BJP and the Congress criticised the Chhattisgarh government on this issue.
The president of the BJP unit in Odisha hauled up the Chhattisgarh government on this issue. He pointed out that during summer, when Odisha needed water the Chhattisgarh government refused to release it. However, during the monsoons, the government is discharging water in the last couple of days so that floods can be avoided in Chhattisgarh.
“Due to the attitude of the Chhattisgarh government, people of Odisha are facing a flood-like situation. It is happening as Chhattisgarh is releasing water from the Mahanadi without any information to the Odisha government. I think the chief ministers of both Odisha and Chhattisgarh should have a discussion on this issue so that people do not suffer,” Mohanty said. “We condemn this attitude of the Chhattisgarh government,” Mohanty said.
BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra also criticised the Chhattisgarh government for the management of excess water in the Mahanadi river.
“Certain consensus on Mahanadi water dispute was reached during a tripartite discussion between Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, then Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati in 2016. However, Singh did not abide by the decisions. The Chhattisgarh government constructed barrages in upstream Mahanadi and did not release water to Odisha in the non-monsoon season. The current Bhupesh Baghel government also did not do anything substantial to resolve the issue,” Mishra stated.
Mishra also pointed out that Chhattisgarh government officials are not participating in the bilateral meetings convened by the Odisha government for management of floodwater in Mahanadi. “They should participate in such meetings and give prior information regarding the release of floodwater,” Mishra pointed out.
Congress MLA Suresh Kumar Routray said Chhattisgarh has constructed several barrages in the upstream of Mahanadi in the last 15 years for which the flow of water to Odisha in the summer has gone down significantly.
