BJD corners BJP on Mahanadi

Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has found itself in an advantageous position vis-a-vis the BJP when Chhattisgarh industries minister Amar Agrawal admitted that his government accepting funds from industrial units to construct barrages on the upper catchment of river Mahanadi.

“We have been alleging since long that the Chhattisgarh government was mindlessly constructing dams on the Mahanadi river to feed its industries at the cost of the people living downstream the river in Odisha. Our allegation now stands vindicated,” said Bijay Kumar Nayak, BJD state general secretary.

On Wednesday, while participating in ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ programme at Burla in Odisha’s Sambalpur district, Chhattisgarh industry minister Mr Agrawal had openly admitted about receiving funds from corporate houses to build barrages.

The minister said water cess was collected from industrial units for 15 years in advance and the money was used for construction of 3-4 barrages in the state.
Besides, he also recommended that the Odisha government should form an expert committee to review as to why the water-level of Mahanadi is decreasing by the day.

The BJD had, on Wednesday, met Odisha Governor Dr S.C. Jamir seeking his intervention in the Mahanadi water issue.

In a memorandum submitted to the governor, the party said he should recommend the Union government to restrain Chhattisgarh from stopping water flow in the Mahanadi during non-monsoon period.

“In the Mahanadi issue, the Union government is taking the side of Chhattisgarh as it is ruled by the BJP. Odisha’s repeated pleas to allow free flow of Mahanadi has always been ignored by the neighbouring state and the Centre stands mute spectator to it,” said senior BJD leader Sanjaya Das Burma.

Mr Burma threatened that the BJD would undertake massive agitation in Odisha and national capital Delhi to put pressure on the Centre to restrain Chhattisgarh government from building barrages.