BJD fact-finding team submits report to Patnaik on Mahanadi

A fact-finding team of the ruling BJD, which had visited Chhattisgarh to study the barrages being built in upper reaches of the Mahanadi river, and the impact of those on Odisha today submitted its report to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Rajya Sabha MP and former minister Prasanna Acharya who led the team, and party general secretary and minister Debi Prasad Mishra presented the 23-page report to Patnaik.
"The fact-finding team that went to Chhattisgarh to examine the Hirakud water problem has just presented its report," Patnaik said here.
Refusing to disclose contents of the report, Acharya hit out at Chhattisgarh government for undertaking construction of barrages and other projects saying these would severely affect flow of the Mahanadi river water into Odisha through Hirakud Dam.

Construction works taken up in an unilateral manner is against the principles of the federal set-up, he said.
The BJD team, formed by Patnaik, who is also the party chief, had undertaken a two-day visit to Chhattisgarh last month and made spot visits to different projects being taken up on Mahanadi river and its tributaries in that state.

The team members had also spoken to Chhattisgarh officials before preparing the report, Acharya said.
Submission of the report assumes significance as the Odisha Chief Minister has suggested to the Union Water Resources Ministry that he could join the proposed tripartite talks on Mahanadi river water dispute on September 17 in Delhi.

Patnaik has also called for a preparatory meeting here tomorrow to discuss the issue threadbare ahead of the proposed tripartite talks.