The Utkal Sammilani has demanded that the State Government save the Mahanadi, which is lifeline of the State.
In a meeting held here on Saturday, the Sammilani alleged that this is really unfortunate that the concerns of the people of Odisha have been completely ignored as the Chhattisgarh Government has been on a barrage making spree on the river throwing all rules to wind.
“The river is our lifeline, which passes through 15 districts and has a direct impact on lives and livelihoods of the people f the State,” Sammilani president Dr Guru Prashad Mohanty asserted.
Notably, a Mahanadi river water sharing agreement between undivided Madhya Pradesh and Odisha was signed in 1983 and the Central Water Commission (CWC) was the mediator but later, both the State Governments did not constitute a regulatory board.
The Sammilani also raised concerns over the West Bengal sand mafias who continue to lift sand illegally from the Subarnarekha river bed. The mafias are spreading terror nearby Ulmara, Kamarpur, Gopalpur villages of Makidia panchayat under Jaleswar tehsil.
“The mafias tend to become violent when the villagers oppose their operations. Makidia panchayat villagers are in panic due to threats of the mafias,” said Mohanty, adding that the smuggling of sand from the river has been continuing over the last two decades but the Odisha Government is not taking action against it.
Sammilani general secretary Prof Aditya Kumar Patra strongly condemned the act of the sand mafias. Meanwhile, a delegation of the Sammilani that visited the villages has submitted a memorandum to the Baleswar district Collector in this regard.
Utkal Sammilani vice-president Ananta Prashad Jena, Dilip Dashsharma, Usarani Mahanty, Puri branch president Bhimsen Mahapatra, Bhubaneswar branch secretary Akul Sangram Sethi and Rajendra Biswal from Baleswar were present.