Reasserting that the Centre would not do anything that would hamper Odisha’s interest involving the Mahanadi, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Wednesday said she would convene a meeting of the Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh in New Delhi to amicably solve the dispute.
“We have decided to convene a meeting of both the State Chief Ministers between September 10 and 20. I will write to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to choose any date between September 10 and 20, and we will ask Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh for discussion on that day,” said Bharti.
She clarified that the Centre is committed to its stand that it won’t allow causing injustice to Odisha at any cost in the matter of Mahanadi water sharing.
Bharati told this to reporters after a meeting with a delegation of BJP leaders from Odisha led by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, which met her in New Delhi over the Mahanadi issue.
On the question of Chhattisgarh not sharing information on the construction of dams, Bharti said she asked her Ministry officials to ensure that Chhattisgarh shared all information sought by Odisha before the meeting of the two Chief Ministers.
“I have asked my officials to ensure that Chhattisgarh provides Odisha with all information that the latter had sought before the meeting of the two Chief Ministers,” said Bharti.
She also scotched the rumours that the Central Water Commission (CWC) is working on some plan of Chhattisgarh to draw more water from the Mahanadi.
Dharmendra Pradhan said the BJP team argued with Bharti that Odisha being in the downstream of the Mahanadi, its stakes and concerns were more and there should not be any compromise on Odisha’s interests.
The BJP delegation comprised the party’s State president Basanta Panda, State legislature Party chief KV Singh Deo, senior party leaders Manmohan Samal, Suresh Pujari, Prithviraj Harichandan and State general secretary Bhrugu Baxipatra.