Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday asserted that the State is well-prepared for discussion at the proposed tripartite meeting convened by Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on September 17 in New Delhi on the Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
“We just held a detailed meeting on the Mahanadi water issue. We are fully prepared for discussion with the Central Government,” said Patnaik and also invited suggestions on the issue from other parties and intellectuals.
The Chief Minister convened a high-level preparatory meeting on Monday wherein Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Bijayshree Routray, Industries Minister Debi Prasad Mishra, Forests and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh, Women and Child Development Minister Usha Devi, Chief Secretary AP Padhi, Development Commissioner R Balkrishanan, Water Resources Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena and many other senior Government officials were present.
“I welcome suggestions from intellectuals, social organisations and all political parties on the issue”, Patnaik added.
Meanwhile on Sunday, the BJD’s fact-finding team, which had visited Chhattisgarh on August 9for an on-the-spot study of the existing and upcoming dam projects in upper Mahanadi catchment, submitted its report to Patnaik.
The report has mentioned that the unilateral projects being under taken by the Chhattisgarh Government would have a massive adverse impact on the State.
Patnaik, who also heads the Water Resources Department, had suggested September 17 as the date for the proposed tripartite meeting to resolve the water sharing dispute mutually.