Sambalpur: Leaders of various political parties of west Odisha have expressed concern over the illegal construction of dams and barrages on the Mahanadi by the Chhattishgarh government and resolved to take up mahasangram (big battle) to save the river in Odisha.
Time has come for every citizen of Odisha, irrespective of their political differences, to fight the injustice and save the Mahanadi, the life line of four crore people of the state, a speakers said in a seminar on Save Mahanadi here on Friday.
The Mahanadi Surakhaya Samiti organised the seminar, presided over by social worker Bhagabat Prasad Nanda. It was attended by representatives from various districts of west Odisha, political leaders and social workers. The speakers urged the Centre to specify the terms of reference of the tribunal and till its judgment direct the Chhattishgarh government not to go for further construction of dams and barrages.
The seminar has decided to form Mahanadi suraksha samitis in all the 30 districts of Odisha.
Jharsuguda MLA Naba Kishore Das has been nominated as the convener of the state-level Mahanadi Surakhaya Samiti.
The speakers alleged that the BJP government at the Centre had supported the Chhattshgarh government and did not listen to the voice of Odisha. "It is the Centre's duty to sort out the differences on any matter and problems related to two states in a federal structure. But, the Modi government has totally failed to discharge its duties," veteran CPM leader Janardan Pati said. "At the same time, the BJD government in Odisha did not take the Opposition parties into confidence to fight on a common platform."
He said that to teach the Centre a lesson, the Odisha government should suspend dispatch of minerals such as coal, manganese and bauxites from the state.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik alleged that the Chhattishgarh government had violated the bi-lateral agreement signed by the then chief minister, J.B. Patnaik, and Arjun Singh on April 28, 1983 on the Mahanadi water distribution issue.
The Chhattishgarh government has started construction of dams and barrages since 2002, but the BJD-BJP coalition government had "careless and remained silent till 2016". "We are crying at a time when everything has been completed," he said while blaming the Naveen government.
The state government moved the Centre and the Supreme Court for a tribunal much late. The tribunal has not yet started. "God knows when it will give its findings and when it will be implemented," he said.
Among others, CPI leader Ashok Bisi, BJD Sambalpur district president Pramod Rath, Jharsuguda MLA Naba Kishore Das, former minister Jagannath Patnaik, former Speaker Kishore Patel, Talsara MLA Prafulla Majhi and Sundargarh MLA Jogesh Singh extended their full support to the movement.
The farmers' representatives from various districts of west Odisha also spoke on the occasion.