Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced that his government would spend Rs 75,000 crore for the development of water resources in the next five years.

The announcement comes a day after the launch of the "Save Mahanadi" campaign by Naveen from west Odisha.

The investment announcement comes at a time when Odisha's 15 coastal districts are facing a crisis because of the Chhattisgarh government's closure of 66 gates of the Kalma barrage. The neighbouring government is constructing several barrages in the Mahanadi upstream.

On Wednesday, Naveen visited the dry river embankment and assured the people that his government would shortly take steps to address the issue. He had also held a review meeting on the issue of availability of drinking water in the major towns of west Odisha, including Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh.

Naveen also announced that his government would come out with a comprehensive river policy in the next three months to protect and conserve the rivers. "The policy will focus on sustainable river basin management," an official said.

Under the new river policy to save Mahanadi, Naveen said a number of barrages would come up in various places for the conservation of water that will later be used for drinking and agricultural purposes. Massive plantation drives will be taken up along the river.

Sources said that coming under sharp criticism for its failure to set up a second barrage on the Mahanadi even after 70 years of Independence, the Naveen Patnaik government had decided to set up seven barrages in the downstream of Mahanadi and 22 barrages on its tributaries and distributaries. The barrages will be constructed where there is minimum possibility of displacement.

Following closure of the gates by Chhattisgarh, water level in the Hirakud reservoir has gradually fallen and it stood at 608 feet on Thursday. The inflow to the reservoir is just 1,700 cusec feet. Fishing communities of Lakhanpur where the river enters Odisha have started migrating to other areas in search of new livelihood.

A senior official of the water resources department said: "An integrated approach to the river basin management is needed with focus on water-use efficiency, both for agriculture as well as industry. It will save adequate water for the river to serve itself. Conscious efforts will be made to reduce the pollution load of the river."

The government has also announced to make Bargarh and Sashana main canal of west Odisha cemented in the next three years with an investment of Rs 400 crore.

"The chief minister has asked us to float a tender for the Gangadhar Meher mega-lift canal in the next three months. This is considered a lifeline for farmers in west Odisha," the official said.

The state government strongly believes that healthy rivers are required for a healthy society.

"The state government is working on drinking water supply and environmental needs as the priority areas of water use followed by agriculture and hydro-power generation," the official added.