The ‘U’ turn of the Chhattisgarh Water Resources Minister that the farmers of Odisha would not suffer water shortage even if barrages are made on the Mahanadi river in Chhattisgarh is nothing but to mislead the people of the Odisha. Further, it has also revealed the real mask of the BJP Government both at Centre and Chhatisgarh, said Government Deputy Chief Whip and Redhakhol BJD MlA Rohit Pujari here.
The Chhatisgarh Government’s move violates norms of the inter-state water policy and will greatly influence the water flow in non-monsoon season in Odisha portion of the Mahanadi. There is sure to be acute shortage of water for irrigation, drinking water and power generation in the non-monsoon season. At the same time, the situation will be more critical during monsoon while flood control will be a next to impossible work in Hirakud area, said Pujari further.
“Hirakud Dam was a project of Government of India immediately after independence. And, there was no proposal then for any such construction in the upper catchment,” he stated.
“If there would be excess or less rainfall in Chhattisgarh due to Elnino or green house effect, its direct impact will be on Hirakud dam due to indiscriminate constructions of dams and barrages in Chhatisgarh violating the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission.
Further, during excessive rainfall, the water from Chhattisgarh barrages and dams will make immense loss to the Hirakud dam,” Pujari pointed out. Warning that people of Odisha and the State Government here will not tolerate any injustice to the
State and fight it tooth and nail, Pujari demanded to stop all new constructions and dismantle the already constructed ones.