Move SC to resolve Mahanadi issue, CPI(M) asks Naveen

The CPI(M) today suggested that Odisha government move the Supreme Court for setting up a tribunal to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute, as there is little scope to get justice from the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
A CPI(M) delegation informed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about the party's view during a meeting here.
"The tripartite meeting among Chief Ministers of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on September 17 was in fact a bipartite meeting as the Centre defended (Chhattisgarh CM) Raman Singh," the party said in a memorandum to Patnaik.
Though CPI(M) was critical of the Odisha government for raising the issue at the later stage of construction by the Chhattisgarh government, it fully supported the state.

"Now the construction of Chhattisgarh government on the upstream of Mahanadi will bring miseries to Odisha and its people affecting livelihood of the people," the party said.
It will affect power generation, and hit the eco-system of Chilika Lake, Bhitarkanika and Gahirmatha sanctuaries, the memorandum said.

So, it said, the CPI(M) requests the Chief Minister to take immediate steps moving the Supreme Court to set up a tribunal to settle water sharing of the river Mahanadi between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
"We want to make it very clear to the chief minister that the tribunal is the only way to resolve the Mahanadi row between the two states. Let the Odisha government file a petition in the Supreme Court to direct the Centre for formation of the tribunal," senior CPI(M) leader Janardan Pati said.

Earlier, hundreds of CPI(M) activists took out a rally in the city demanding formation of a tribunal to resolve the issue.