Chhattisgarh CM's statement on Mahanadi unfortunate: Naveen

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in sharing of the Mahanadi river waters and dubbed his Chhattisgarh counterpart Raman Singh's statement on the issue as "most unfortunate".

"The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's statement on the issue of sharing Mahanadi waters is most unfortunate. It violates the cardinal doctrine of inter-state river-water sharing between co-basin states and our federal governance," Patnaik told reporters here.

Patnaik said he had already taken up the Mahanadi river water issue with Modi.

On Tuesday, Raman Singh said the Mahanadi issue was being "unnecessarily politicised" in Odisha. "Chhattisgarh is taking water from the river after Central Water Commission's nod. In fact, we have right to more water," he had said.

Patnaik also criticised Union Minister of State for Water Resources Sanjeev Balyan for allegedly making a misleading statement in parliament on the issue.

"What is more unfortunate is the false and misleading statement of Balyan on the floor of parliament on Tuesday," the Odisha Chief Minister added.

Patnaik urged the Chhattisgarh government to stop all construction activity in the upper catchment area of the river until the issue is resolved.

"Mahanadi is the lifeline of our state. We shall not allow Mahanadi to dry out because of the unilateral and blatant actions of Chhattisgarh," he added.

"I assure Odisha people that my government will take up the issue at various levels and leave no stone unturned to establish our justifiable rights over Mahanadi waters," Patnaik said.

Odisha is opposing the construction of barrages in the upper catchment areas of the Mahanadi by the Chhattisgarh government on the ground that it will affect Odisha's farmers.

--IANS

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