Bhubaneswar: Feb 23: Earlier, National Green Tribunal (NGT) had issued notice to the Union Ministry of Water Resources, the Chhattisgarh government, the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board, the Chhattisgarh State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority and the Odisha government with regards to usage of Mahanadi river waters. Admitting a petition filed Sudarsan Das, a social activist, who had pointed several critical issues in sharing of river water, the NGT directed government agencies to respond. Today, as the Parties failed to depose in the Green Court, NGT slammed all four Parties including Odisha and Chattisgarh states. NGT also asked the four parties to appear during the next hearing fixed on April 10. NGT warned of strict action, if they failed to appear in the next hearing date. While hearing today, the Green Court directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Ministry of Water Resources to present their side before April 10. It is to be noted here, the petitioner Sudarsan Das had raised concerns relating to the impact on environment and the population depending on Mahanadi in Odisha due to the construction of barrage in the upper catchment area of Mahanadi. Sri Das approached the NGT seeking restoration of balance by way of release of water in quantity and quality both to meet the requirements of the users of the state.
