BJD Takes Dig at BJP over Mahanadi River Water-Sharing Dispute

Bhubaneswar: Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday took a dig at the BJP over the Mahanadi water-sharing dispute.

While the BJD welcomed the meeting of chief ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh on the Mahanadi dispute, it urged the neighbouring Chhattisgarh to stop the ongoing construction work of barrages on the river for a fruitful deliberation on the issue.

Speaking on the discussions held during the meeting of CMs of both states, senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya said, “We welcome the discussions on the issue by CMs of both states. If both governments want a fruitful discussion and mutual solution to the issue without hampering the interests of Odisha, then the Chhattisgarh government should immediately stop the ongoing construction of work on various projects and hold discussions.”

He also noted that the ruling BJP, without making any complaints or blaming others, should now work to resolve the Mahanadi water-sharing dispute as there is a triple-engine government in Odisha, the Centre, and Chhattisgarh.

The BJD also raised questions on the efforts to resolve the issue through dialogue between the chief ministers as the matter is currently in the tribunal.

Notably, the sharing of Mahanadi river water has been a bone of contention between the states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Odisha has asserted that the Chhattisgarh government is constructing dams and weirs (small dams) upstream the Mahanadi river which affect the flow of the river downstream and affect drinking water supply.