Even as the Mahanadi row has been continuing unabated between Odisha and Chhattisgarh for the past two months, in a significant development, Chhattisgarh Cottage and Village Industries Minister Chandra Sekhar Pandey visited Paradip on Wednesday to take stock of the mouth of the river.
It was a private trip of the Chhattisgarh Minister, but his visit to Mahanadi confluence site, fishing harbour and port jetty created flutter among locals.
There was no official information, nor any protocol had been extended to the visiting dignitary, who had been accompanied by a Chhattisgarh based Odia erudite Bidya Bhusan Satapathy. During media queries, the Minister revealed that it was a private visit to know the art and sculpture of Odisha. He, however, said that he chose to see the river Mahanadi confluence at Paradip.
Pandey had visited the river Mahanadi confluence points at Chaumuhani, Atharbanki and Nehru bungalow and studied downstream water discharge structure of the Mahanadi. Then he proceeded to the fishing harbor and port jetty and interacted with a few fishermen and port officials present at the site.
The Minister was tight-lipped over the ongoing row between the two States. He, however, was optimistic that Chief Ministers of both States would do the best for their people. Interestingly, Satapathy pointed out that the barrages by Chhattisgarh Government would not harm Hirakud dam and would not trigger any water scarcity in Odisha.