Sambalpur: The seven-day Kalasa Jatra launched by the Biju Mahila Janata Dal on August 20 protesting against the unilateral constructions in the upstream of the Mahanadi river by Chhattisgarh government today reached Sambalpur with women activists of the party taking out a procession in the city.
Members of the women's wing of the ruling party collected water from river Mahanadi and marched in a procession with water-filled pots on their heads through the main thoroughfares of the city before smashing the pots filled with water on posters of Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti and Union minister of state for water resources Sanjeev Balyan.
Later, a protest meeting was also held where the party alleged that the Chhattisgath Government has made the project plans on the upper catchment of Mahanadi without obtaining the consent of the Odisha Government.
“Water flow at the Hirakud dam would recede substantially if construction projects are undertaken on the upper reaches of the Mahanadi. Besides, the State would incur a heavy loss if the projects get implemented as irrigation and water conservation efficiency in 473 square km area of western, coastal and middle regions of Odisha would be grossly affected," said a party activist.