Bhubaneswar: Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti today blamed Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for creating hurdles in resolving the issues related to river-linking project.
Clarifying the Tista-Sankosh-Ganga-Mahanadi-Godavari river-linking project, Bharti said Mahanadi would be recharged with the water of Teesta and Sankosh. Only the surplus water in Mahanadi would be sent to Godavari, she added on the sidelines of BJP national executive meet.
"Both Naveen and Mamata are creating hurdles on the way of the river interlinking project. Rumours are being spread over the plan. Without State consent, the project can't be materialized," said Bharti.
Also Read: Ready For Talks On Mahanadi Issue, Says Chhattisgarh CM
Earlier in the day, the union minister had refused to comment on the Mahanadi water dispute. “As the Odisha government has taken the matter to court, I should not comment on it”, she stated.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed his readiness to talk on Mahanadi issue with his Odisha counterparts. However, CM Naveen Patnaik lamented Singh terming him as “not cooperative” in resolving the Mahanadi water dispute.