Bhubaneswar, Aug 11: Today the Congress alleged that the Odisha government is making the Mahanadi issue which is a minor one into an unnecessary major one by just politicizing the matter. Leader of the Opposition, Narasingha Mishra said that all political parties in Odisha, except the ruling BJD, are strongly against the construction of projects in the upper catchment of Mahanadi by the Chhattisgarh government and also want that there should be no obstruction in the flow of Mahanadi water to the Hirakud reservoir. It’s been alleged by the LoP that six barrages which are being constructed in the upstream of Mahanadi are meant for the use of industries, which have funded the construction of these projects. He further added that apart from this, construction of some other projects have started on the tributaries of the river while some have already been completed.
Refuting the statement of Mishra, BJD vice president Surya Narayan Patro said the Congress is now taken the back seat. Claiming that the BJD government is opposed to all the projects on upper Mahanadi, the former minister said the small barrages built by the Chhattisgarh government will not harm Odisha.
