Bhubaneswar: April 10 : After Mahanadi, Chhatisgarh government has started targeting Ib River, as alleged by BJD in a Press Conference on 9th April. It is alleged by BJD Leaders that the neighboring State has started construction of a barrage on Maini River, the major tributary of Ib River. The project on Maini will have impact on water inflow into Ib River and People of Western Odisha will be affected, said the ruling party. It is to be noted, IB River is the main contributor of water in the district of Sundergarh and Jharsuguda. So, as any barrage on the river upstream will cause drinking water and irrigation problem in the two districts. The Ib River starting from Kunkuri at Chhatisgarh passes through Sundargarh and joins with Bheden River at Lakhanpur under Jharsuguda district before falling in to the Hirakud reservoir.
Mahanadi River is gradually drying up due to the closure of 66 gates of Kalma barrage by Chattisgarh Government and Mahanadi-dependent districts of Odisha are suffering, alleged BJD MP Prasanna Acharya and Senior Party Leader Debi Prasad Mishra.
BJD has called for a mass convention on Mahanadi water dispute on April 15 to chalk out future course of action, informed BJD general secretary Sanjay Dasburma. Meanwhile, the district Congress unit has called a Sundargarh Bandh on August 11 with the slogan ‘save Ib river’.
