The Samajwadi Party State unit here held a silent demonstration at the Master Canteen Square displaying banners and placards for constitution of a Mahanadi Tribunal.
Party State president Rabi Behera appealed to the Supreme Court to direct the Central Government to constitute a tribunal, stop all construction of barrages on the upstream of Mahanadi and initiate a contempt case against the Centre as it failed to constitute a tribunal by November 19.
He further said under the Inter-State River Water Dispute Act 1956 (4.1), a Mahanadi Tribunal is the Constitutional obligation by the Centre. Behera said the denial to form a tribunal is highly offending for the people of Odisha and by this way the State is deprived of its legitimate right. It also violates the ISRWD 1956 Act and against the Federal spirit of the Constitution, he said.