The Samajwadi Party on Saturday urged Governor Dr SC Jamir to place its demand of protecting Odisha people’s right to Mahanadi waters before Centre on the sidelines of Inter-State Meeting held in New Delhi on Saturday.
Alleging that both the earlier UPA and the present NDA Government have undermined the Odisha’s interest always, party State president Rabi Behera said life and livelihood of two crore people in 15 districts would be hampered if Chhattisgarh goes ahead with construction of 18 barrages in the Mahanadi upper catchment areas.
“The Central Water Commission has ignored our interest due to political pressure. Without informing Odisha Government, Chhattisgarh is constructing several barrages, dams and reservoirs on Mahanadi which will affect water flow to the Hirakud reservoir. This will affect agricultural production, power generation and drinking water on the command area of Mahanadi. The Inter-State Water sharing agreement 1983 between the then Madhya Pradesh and Odisha for the formation of a joint action group to share Mahanadi water has been ignored,” Behera mentioned in the memorandum.
He further informed that while Mahanadi provides irrigation facility to 2.67 hectares of agriculture land in 15 districts, Chhattisgarh has constructed 18 big projects, eight medium projects and six barrages on the up-streams of the river.
More particularly, the Arpa-Bhaisajhar project, Tandula Reservoir, Salka and Bilaspur project and Ambaguda Diversion project, Salka and Ichhapur projects are going to directly affect will reduce water flow to Mahanadi and affect the life and livelihood of 2 crore people directly and 65 per cent of our population indirectly.
The Samajwadi Party requests you to take up the issue with the Prime Minister on the sidelines of the Inter-State Council meeting to resolve the Mahanadi Water dispute amicably.
He too requested the Governor to take up Polavaram and Subarnarekha sand issues with the Centre soon.