BJD govt doing "petty politics" on Mahanadi issue: Congress

Accusing the BJD government of doing "petty politics" on the Mahanadi river water issue, Congress today said though Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had promised 15 years ago that Odisha would not allow Chhattisgarh to construct dams without consulting it, he was now claiming ignorance about the projects.
"It is now amply clear that Naveen regime is adopting double standards and doing petty politics over the Mahanadi river water issue... To mislead the people instead of safeguarding the interest of Odisha," Congress stalwart and Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra told reporters here.
Terming as "baseless", the BJD government's claim that it was unaware of the constructions on Mahanadi river in Chhattisgarh, Mishra said way back on April 10, 2001 the chief minister himself had made a categorical promise in the state assembly while replying to an adjournment motion moved by Ashok Das on the impact of construction of barrages on upstream of Mahanadi.

Patnaik had assured the House that Chhattisgarh government would not be allowed to go on constructing dams and barrages on Mahanadi without consulting Odisha, said the Congress leader adding the CM had also stated in assemnly: "We will work towards an inter-state agreement with the Government of Chhattisgarh."
The BJD government's action shows it is "either inefficient or hand in gloves" with Chhattisgarh in benefitting industrialists at the cost of irrigation and power generation in Odisha, Mishra alleged.
The fact that Naveen regime kept silent all these years about construction of dams and barrages on Mahanadi raises suspicion it has "joined hands" with Chhattisgarh where at least six barrages are being built with money from 21 industries to provide water to their units, he claimed.

Slamming the chief minister for not answering his letters for convening an all-party meeting on Mahanadi water issue, Mishra said finally he was compelled to call such a meet himself to which BJD was invited but it stayed away.

Questioning Patnaik's intention behind "staying away" from an exercise involving the state's interests, he said now time has come for all political parties and forces in the state to get united and fight for Odisha's rights over the water of Mahanadi river.
Claiming that BJD regime had also failed to act promptly after central notification to expand Kolkata port's jurisdiction right up to Dhamra, Mishra said though there was then a Congress government at the Centre, he had fought a legal battle and finally the move was set aside.

Naveen Government is playing a similar role now, Mishra said, adding there was no politics in the all party meet and the only agenda was to protect the interest of Odisha.
He also denied that there was any move towards a separate political grouping.