Naveen leaves for Delhi to attend tripartite meeting over Mahanadi water dispute
16 September, Bhubaneswar
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today left for Delhi to attend the tripartite meeting convened by Union Water Resource Minister Uma Bharati to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Thousands of supporters of the ruling BJD carrying party flags and shouting slogans, marched in a colourful procession from Naveen Niwas to the Biju Patnaik International Airport to see off the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister, who had convened a meeting on September 12 last to decide the stand of the government at the tripartite meeting, had sought suggestions and advice of common people, political parties and voluntary organisations on the issue.
In response to the Chief Minister’s appeal, more than 150 organisations including political parties and individuals from different parts of the state met him at his office in the state secretariat and offered their suggestions.
Overwhelmed with the response, the Chief Minister, before leaving for New Delhi, thanked the organisations, political parties for expressing their concern and giving valuable suggestions.
” It was heartening to know that many of them had done detailed research and had come up with well thought out suggestions, the Chief Minister said and expressed his deep gratitude to the people of the state.”
Mr Patnaik assured the people of the state that he would put his best efforts forward and leave no stone unturned in the fight for the rights of the people of the state.
“I am going with a lot of hope that the central government will listen to the voices of Odisha and do justice to the people of the state in this sensitive Mahanadi issue,” the Chief Minister said.
Odisha has strongly opposed the construction of dams and reservoirs by the Chhattisgarh government on the upstream of the river saying that such construction would check the flow of water, affect irrigation, power generation, drinking water supply and life and livelihood of people in 15 of the 30 districts of the state.
Both opposition Congress and BJP however described the last minute exercise of the Chief Minister as a political stunt aimed at garnering votes in the coming panchayat election in the state and alleged that the BJD government has no sincerity to resolve the Mahanadi water row and busy in making political statements as face saving measures.