BJP govt in Chhattisgarh in deep water over Mahanadi dispute

From hero to a villain, BJP government in Chhattisgarh is quickly losing its image in neighbouring Odisha, which was till recently gaining ground among Odias and treated as a source of inspiration for the government and the people of the coastal state.

The latest upheaval was also worrying the ruling BJP in Chhattisgarh as it has a sizeable Odia speaking voters within the state.

Both the neighbouring states are locked in a duel for the last four decades over sharing of water from “the life line” river Mahanadi. To resolve the protracted dispute, on April 28, 1983 the then undivided Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Arjun Singh and his Orissa counterpart Janaki Ballav Pattanaik signed an agreement to constitute a board to look into survey, water sharing and other related issues of Mahanadi. But that never happened and the issue was remained untouched and unresolved. 

However, politics outsmart governance after BJP attempted to project itself as a savior of farmers in Odisha and organized a huge rally in Mahanadi command area of Bargarh, addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sensing the situation and realizing that the saffron party was gaining ground in Odisha with BJP making its ‘Chanakya’ Soudan Singh as its state in-charge to strengthen organization, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) drafted a strategy to corner the saffron party.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik fired a salvo accusing the BJP government in Chhattisgarh of deliberately storing or diverting the Mahanadi water by constructing several barrages and anicuts over the river and its tributaries.

Mahanadi is originated from Dhamtari district and has a catchment area of 82,432 sq km or its 86 per cent are in Chhattisgarh and the BJD allegation has pushed the Raman Singh government into defensive as the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Narasingha Mishra of Congress constituted an all party committee, minus BJD, to “save the Mahanadi water from Chhattisgarh”. “The committee will protect the interest of Odisha,” said Mishra. To put oil into the fire, a Congress legislature party delegation visited Mahanadi upstream on the last week of July and urged President Pranab Mukherjee to intervene in to the matter as BJP shares power both in Chhattisgarh and at the Centre.

BJD was also quick to jump into the upheaval and its delegation, led by party Vice President Prasanna Acharya, MP, visited Raigarh, Janjgir-Champa and Bilaspur districts of Chhattisgarh, “to ensure that the interest of Odisha is well protected”.

Ajit Jogi led Chhattisgarh Janata Congress has opposed visit of both the BJD and Congress. Its leader Amit Jogi, MLA, said “there is a sinister political move to defame Chhattisgarh and due to Panchayat election in Odisha the issues is being raised.”

Amit also asked when Odisha leaders are levelling serious allegations every day and tarnishing the image of Chhattisgarh, why they are being allowed to visit Mahanadi catchment.

Chhattisgarh Water Resources Minister Brij Mohan Agrawal said his government does not want to hide anything, although BJD is playing politics over the issue.