Post News Network
New Delhi, August 24: Union water resources and Ganga rejuvenation minister Uma Bharti Wednesday urged chief ministers of Orissa and Chhattisgarh to come for a tripartite meeting here to settle the raging dispute over Mahanadi water sharing.
The minister who met a delegation of BJP leaders from Orissa said interests of Orissa would not be compromised with and the contentious issues relating to building of projects on catchment areas of the river by Chhattisgarh government would be sorted out through negotiations.
The BJP delegation comprised minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan, party’s state unit president Basant Panda, legislature party chief K V Singh Deo, senior leaders Manmohan Samal, Suresh Pujari, Prithviraj Harichandan and state general secretary Bhrugu Buxipatra among others.
“I am keen on personally inviting CMs of Orissa and Chhattisgarh to resolve the Mahanadi controversy through direct discussions to hammer out contentious issues at the tripartrite meeting in September. We want to assure that no injustice is meted out to Orissa,” Bharti said.
The minister, meanwhile, clarified that her ministry has asked its officials to make available all relevant documents as sought by Orissa government from the Chhattisgarh government to allay fears of the government before the proposed meeting.
“I have directed the officials concerned to ensure that relevant data from Chhattisgarh is handed over to Orissa government,” she indicated. Works relating to exchange of such documents would be undertaken within two weeks, well before the meeting which is expected to take place between September 10 and September 20.
Meanwhile, Pradhan who led his party team from Orissa, said “Although water is a state subject, our delegation met the minister to talk about the raging controversy over Mahanadi and the apprehensions of Orissa. Our ministers have explained in the Parliament on the issue. We want to assure that interests of Orissa are not compromised.”
