Bhubaneswar, Jan 2: Even though commotion still continues between Odisha and Chhatisgarh on Mahanadi river issues, Chhattisgarh has committed another unfair act towards Odisha by closing the gates of Kalma barrage on Dec 12 and 13 which has affected water flow in the Hirakud reservoir. Following the incident, a letter has been sent to the Water Resources department secretary by the State government. Water flow into the Hirakud River during the summer must be observed and for this the downstream of Kalma gauge should be constructed, Ramesh Tripathy, Engineer-in-chief stated.
Meanwhile, BJD spokesperson and MLA Sashi Bhushan Behera has demanded that operations of all industrial barrages should be stopped as it has affected the water flow into the Hirakud reservoir. On the other side, Suresh Pujari, National secretary of BJP, criticised the State government on this matter and stated before saying anything, the state government should conduct a final assessment and survey on the amount of water which is to be affected by this act. Several social activists of both the states had organised a mega human chain at Kanakatora under the banner of ‘Mahanadi Bachao and Jibika Bachao’. By criticising both the state government, they have demanded a special policy on water.
To provide water to industries, both the state government have been competing with each other thus creating danger for Mahanadi and Hirakud, Western Odisha Farmers Outfit’s convener, Lingaraj informed.
