Jajpur: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today assured that no one can deprive Odisha of using Mahanadi water.
“Mahanadi is innately associated with the livelihood of the people of Odisha, especially the coastal districts. It is the lifeline of the state and serves like a mother. No one can deprive our people of the Mahanadi water under any circumstances. To ensure the rights of the people of our state to use Mahanadi water, I will continue my fight relentlessly,” Patnaik said while addressing a public meeting at Dharmasala Mahotsav Ground to mark the conclusion of BJD’s month-long Jan Sampark padayatra during his one-day visit to Jajpur district.
He further said Odisha has emerged as a model state in the country in the field of public welfare. “A new era of development has begun in Odisha which has become a happening state,” he pointed out.
On the occasion, the chief minister disbursed financial assistance to the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes.
Earlier in the day, police had detained 35 workers of the Congress and the BJP prior to the visit of the chief minister to the district.
Notably, BJD had launched its month-long Jan Sampark padayatra across the state on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 to apprise the people of the several welfare measures taken up by the state government and the stand of the party on the ongoing row with the Chhattisgarh government over sharing of Mahanadi water.
Terming the statement of the chief minister on Mahanadi issue, the BJP today said it is the political game plan of the former to hoodwink people.
“The month-long political drama by the BJD on Mahanadi issue did not bore any result as it failed to mislead the people. Now the ruling party has decided to form a human chain from Hirakud to Paradip after which it will take legal recourse. Let me make it very clear that the BJD does not want to resolve Mahanadi issue. The party will resort to a series of agitations in the state on Mahanadi to win the trust of the people as a part of its strategy to create vote bank for the ensuing panchayat polls,” senior BJP leader Biswabhusan Harichadan told media persons in Bhubaneswar.