Bhubaneswar: The Mahanadi Bachao Andolan on Wednesday started a signature campaign, seeking intervention of the Supreme Court Chief Justice and members of the Mahanadi River Dispute Tribunal to ensure adequate flow of water into the Hirakud reservoir in the downstream of the river.

Andolan convener Sudarsan Das said the campaign was kicked off at the Old bus stand in the city.

"We will collect one lakh signatures on a memorandum addressed to the CJI and the tribunal. We will also start a postcard campaign," he said.

The campaign assumes significance following reports that the river water flow into the reservoir has been severely affected because of the construction and "regular closure" of gates of the Kalma barrage by Chhattisgarh.

According to reports of the state water resource department, Odisha has experienced continuous reduction in water inflow - 18 per cent in October 2017, 43 per cent in November, 39 per cent in December and 41 per cent and 40 per cent in January and February, 2018, respectively.

Odisha has been alleging that the Kalma barrage gates are operated in an improper manner by Chhattisgarh to arbitrarily restrict the water flow into the Hirakud reservoir. Das said the andolan would start Mahanadi Bachao Yatra from the barrage on April 11.

The yatra would pass through the places located on the Mahanadi river banks and culminate in Puri in front of the Jagannath temple.

"It aims to create awareness among the people on Mahanadi issue," said he.