Maintaining that the Centre extends its silent support to the Chhattisgarh Government on the Mahanadi water dispute due to political affiliation despite Odisha’s stiff opposition, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said his BJD would launch a State-wide signature campaign on November 11 to intensify the public awareness drive about the issue in the State.
Signatures of nearly 87 lakh people would be collected during a month-long drive against the unilateral construction of barrages upstream the Mahanadi by the Chhattisgarh Government which would be later submitted to the President of India.
“Even though I sought intervention of the Prime Minister to resolve the dispute but no response has been received as yet from him. In a federal structure, we have done what is appropriate. Now, we will go to court of law to save the future of the people of Odisha,” said Patnaik here
He was speaking at a preparatory meeting of the party for the proposed second-phase fight against the Centre and the Chhattisgarh Government. The date for the proposed 430-km-long human chain would be decided later.
The human chain would be formed from Hirakud to Pafradip, he said.
He said the Congress and the BJP are “shedding crocodile tears” over the Mahanadi and Polavarm issues. It was they who being in power at the Centre at different periods have granted funds to the Polavaram project and allowed construction of the barrages on the upper catchment of the Mahanadi, Patnaik stated.
Almost all Ministers, party MlAs, MPs and other officer-bearers attended the meeting.