Cuttack, Dec. 28: The movement to disallow Posco to use water from Taladanda canal for it’s proposed plant near Paradip gathered fresh momentum today with the Pradesh Congress staging a farmers’ rally and threatening to launch a state-wide agitation.

Congress leaders, including Opposition leader J.B. Patnaik and OPCC president Jayadev Jena by Badrikanath below demanded that the government revoked it’s decision to allow water from Mahanadi for industries, as it would affect irrigation.

More than 2,000 farmers took part in the rally at Jobra, from where the Taladanda canal originates on the right bank of the Mahanadi in Cuttack and flows roughly for 85km to Paradip.

The rally was a part of the Chasi Sankalpa Divas held by the Congress to seek for more water to farmlands.

In a memorandum to Governor M.C. Bhandare, the Congress sought the withdrawal of assurances given to Posco-India’s proposed plant for lakhs of farmers.

The memorandum also sought the withdrawal of further assurances given to 17 industries, as it would also affect irrigation in Sambalpur — referred to as the rice-bowl of Orissa.

J.B. Patnaik slammed the Naveen government for allowing water from rivers and canals without coming up with a irrigation project during the past seven years. Though minor irrigation projects had come up, existing ones had been allowed to dry up, he alleged.

It is feared that irrigation would be affected in 10 districts, including coastal areas of Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghapur, Jajpur and Puri, if the Posco-India plant is allowed to use the Taladanda canal.

Earlier on December 17 the Naveen government had come under heavy flak over the issue at the CPM state conference in Cuttack.

The party had passed a resolution demanding the withdrawal of assurances, too.