Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said Odisha’s interest can’t be compromised in view of Chhattisgarh constructing barrages in the upper catchment area of the Mahanadi.
However, he advised the State Government to form a joint control board as per the agreement on Mahanadi waters signed between Odisha and Madhya Pradesh in 1983 and resolve the issues.
“The dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over Mahanadi waters has mounted due to inactiveness and inefficiency of the Odisha Government. As per the agreement, it had been decided to for Joint Control Board to resolve various disputes concerning Mahanadi water. It is of more need for Odisha to form a joint control board as its jurisdiction has the Mahanadi’s lower catchment area. But the Government has not taken any step in this regard,” lamented Pradhan.
The Minister said the Odisha Government should form the Joint Board soon and conduct an on-the-spot study of the Chhattisgarh water projects on Mahanadi for interest of Odisha. If required, the State Government should take help of the Central Water Commission (CWC) in this regard, suggested Pradhan.