BJD fact-finding team submits report on Mahanadi water issue

The Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) fact-finding team which visited Chhattisgarh to make an on-the-spot assessment of the projects constructed on the upstream of Mahanadi river, on Sunday submitted a report to BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya, who led the team to Chhattisgarh last month, submitted a 25-page report to the Chief Minister at his residence here.

"The fact-finding team that went to Chhattisgarh to check up the Mahanadi water problem has just presented me its report," Patnaik told reporters here.

The Chief Minister would hold a preparatory meeting on the Mahanadi water dispute on Monday before the tripartite meeting in New Delhi.

A tripartite meeting is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 17. The Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh and the Union Minister for Water Resources will attend the meeting to resolve the water dispute.

"The construction of barrages and dams by Chhattisgarh will have a severe impact on Odisha. The constructions should be stopped immediately. The Centre and Chhattisgarh government have conspired to work against the interests of Odisha," said Acharya.

He said that the report contains details of whatever information was made available to them on the violations made by the Chhattisgarh government and the loss it will cause to Odisha in the future.

--IANS

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