Satyagraha on Mahanadi water dispute begins in New Delhi

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: More than 200 activists of Agami Odisha, a regional outfit, today began a five-day Satyagraha by the name Mahanadi Bachao Andolan to put pressure on the Centre to constitute a tribunal to resolve the inter-state water sharing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Activists staged dharna and showcased songs, dance to create awareness on safety of Mahanadi River water and protested against inter-linking of the river.

“We must apply pressure on Union Government, Chhattisgarh and particularly on those who aim to do harm to the river water,” Convenor of Mahanadi Bachao Andolan, Sudarshan Das said.

A team of delegates will also meet the President, Prime Minister and Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti during the Satyagraha and apprise them on the water sharing dispute. They are likely to appeal to the Centre to direct Chhattisgarh to stop unilateral construction of barrages on upper catchment of Mahanadi which might lead to shortage in water flow into Odisha.