'Odisha is rightful owner of two-thirds of Mahanadi water'

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA, Debi Prasad Mishra fired a salvo at Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel saying Odisha does not need anybody’s pity and it is the rightful owner of Mahanadi water.

Mishra’s statement came in response to Baghel’s statement - Mahanadi originates from Chhattisgarh and the entire water goes to Odisha.

Replying to Baghel, Mishra said, “Odisha doesn’t need any other state’s pity. Odisha has its rights to the water of Mahanadi. And our ownership of the water is justified by the reports of the Water and Navigation Commission headed by Dr Ajodhyanath Khosla in 1947.”

“As per the Commission, Odisha is the rightful owner of two-thirds of Mahanadi water. Nevertheless, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had urged Chhattisgarh to release water in the lean period, between November and May,” he said.

“Baghel’s statement goes against Odisha’s interest and violates all the rules and established norms,” Mishra added.

Targeting the Centre, he further said, “The Centre should resolve this issue as soon as possible. But Union Jal Shakti Minister (MoS), Bishweswar Tudu’s statement in this sensitive topic is irresponsible.”

Tudu had recently said, "Centre’s permission is not needed for construction of barrages, as built by Chhattisgarh, to irrigate 2000 hectares of land. The Odisha government could have constructed small barrages on Mahanadi if they wanted. Now as the election is around the corner, the state government is only doing drama.”

Ahead of the field visit of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal, Baghel on Wednesday had said that river Mahanadi originates from Chhattisgarh and as the entire water goes to Odisha, the matter should not have gone to the Tribunal.

“There is no dam here in Chhattisgarh; the controversy is over seven barrages. As the matter went to the tribunal, we stopped our higher dam and barrage proposals. We think that we should get permission for the same as the entire water is going to Odisha,” Baghel had said.