BJD MLA expresses concern over new River Basin Management Bill

A ruling Biju Janata Dal MLA Wednesday expressed concern over the new River Basin Management Bill which has been placed in the Parliament.

Former minister and senior BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra while speaking in the state Assembly during the Zero Hour said the new bill may not be in the interest of Odisha which is located in the coast.

Taking the member's concern into consideration over the new bill, Speaker S N Patro directed the Water Resource minister to inform the House on the state government's stand on the issue.

Citing an instance of Odisha getting affected due to the new bill, Mishra said though Brahmani and Baitarani are separate rivers, the bill treats them like one. "Baitarani river is 1,400 km long and spread across 40 sq km in Jharkhand. The new policy provisions allows the Jharkhand government to intervene in Odisha government's decisions if it decides to construct anything on the rivers," Mishra said.

Noting that Mahanadi is the lifeline of Odisha, Mishra said the farmers and fishermen of the state suffer due to construction of projects on upstream of the river by Chhattishgarh government.