Armed with RTI documents, civil society activists on Saturday charged that the State Government and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik are suppressing facts and figures in connection with the Mahanadi water dispute with the Chhattisgarh Government.

Activist Pradip Pradhan, who sought information under RTI from the Water Resources Department,regarding what supportive facts and documents it placed at the tripartite meeting in New Delhi on October 17, said the department did not furnish any reply to this particular question.

“After the tripartite meeting between Naveen Patnaik, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Raman Singh and Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, Patnaik had told reporters that the meeting was a failure. But what documents he produced at the meeting to solidly back the State’s stand are very much important which was not done if the RTI documents are to be believed,” said Pradhan. He also alleged that a whooping Rs 2,000 crore water tax is lying pending on various companies in the State over last 16 years.

The RTI documents further revealed that at least 32 companies/industries managed to obtain stay orders from the Orissa High Court in 2000 challenging the Government’s notice to deposit Rs 1,886 crore; and till date no efforts are being initiated to get the stay orders vacated. Further, water tax amounting Rs 255 crore is still pending with 151 companies for years which is yet to be collected.

“It exposes the Naveen Patnaik Government’s real interest in protecting the interests of companies and industries. Under such circumstances, we do not believe that the State Government will ensure justice for Odisha in the Mahanadi dispute,” said Pradhan.