Bhubaneswar: The state committee of Samajwadi Party Monday held a silent demonstration holding banners and placards and appealed to the Supreme Court for constitution of Mahanadi Tribunal to resolve the dispute between Chhattisgarh and Orissa.
Party state president Rabi Behera, while leading the demonstration, said under Inter-state River Water Dispute (ISRWD) Act -1956 (4.1), the Centre was duty bound to constitute Mahanadi Tribunal to resolve the water dispute between the two states.
He said the centre in May and October last had informed the Supreme Court that all negotiations between Orissa and Chhattisgarh had failed for Mahanadi Water sharing and the Centre is contemplating to set up the Tribunal. Behera said now the Centre had submitted before the Apex court that there is no need for a tribunal for Mahanadi water dispute, which is highly offending for the people of Orissa. The Centre’s stand will deprive the state of its legitimate right and the decision is also a clear violation of ISRWD Act-1956 and against the federal spirit of the constitution.
The party appealed to the Supreme Court to direct the Centre to constitute Mahanadi Tribunal, stop all construction of barrages on the upstream of Mahanadi as water flow and initiate a Contempt of Court case against the Centre for its failure to constitute Mahanadi Tribunal by November 19 last.
UNI
