Pradhan blames C'garh govt on Mahanadi water row

Bhubaneswar: Senior BJP leader and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan today said Odisha was not receiving sufficient water from the Mahanadi river during non-monsoon period due to Chhattisgarh blocking its flow.

The inflow of Mahanadi water into the Hirakud reservoir in Odisha has been hit due to construction of barrages by the Chhattisgarh government in the upper catchment areas of the river, Pradhan told reporters at Sambalpur. "Chhattisgarh has stopped Mahanadi water in the upper catchment areas. It is providing water to industries. As a result, lower catchments in Odisha are getting reduced water in non-monsoon period," Pradhan said.

The interest of Odisha can never be compromised, Pradhan said urging Chief Mimister Naveen Patnaik to take steps in this regard. Mahanadi has been a bone of contention between Odisha and Chhattisgarh with the former opposing construction work on upstream of Mahanadi by the latter, thereby blocking the flow of water to downstream.

Stating that Odisha also provides water from the Mahanadi to several industries, the Union Minister said it is necessary to mount pressure on the Chhattisgarh government to ensure that Odisha gets its due share of the river water. Pradhan also accused the BJD government in Odisha of having failed to take steps for conserving and utilising Mahanadi river water.