Odisha government files suit in SC on Mahanadi issue

Odisha government has filed an original suit in the Supreme Court seeking injunction on Chhattishgarh's act of continuing with construction of projects on the upstream of river Mahanadi, the Assembly was informed today.
"The state government has filed an original suit in the Hon'ble Supreme Court under Article 131 of the Constitution on December 2 seeking an injunction on the state of Chhattishgarh from continuing with construction of ongoing projects and from taking up future projects," Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in the Assembly in a statement.
He said Odisha government has claimed, as a part of its equitable share of a minimum flow of 12.28 million acre feet of Mahanadi water at Hirakud Dam, as per the DPR of Hirakud project of 1947 and a further utilisation of 3.67 million acre feet in the surplus flows.

Noting that Mahanadi is the lifeline of Odisha and its people, the food bowl of the state as well as the ecological hotspots in the delta region, Patnaik said the 'illegal actions' of Chhattishgarh government in unilaterally planning and constructing projects and barrages in the upper catchment of Mahanadi would spell socio-economic and ecological hazard to the state and its inhabitants.
He said the state government has also filed a statutory complaint before the Central Government on November 22 under provisions of the Inter State Water Disputes Act of 1956 for constitution of an Inter State Tribunal to adjudicate the disputes arising from unilaterally planned utilisation of 27.48 million acre feet of Mahanadi water by Chhattishgarh as against a total availability of minimum flow in the river of 20.61 million acre feet only.

Patnaik said, "My government will take all out efforts to protect the interests of the people of our state" and thanked those who gave suggestions to the government on Mahanadi issue.
Leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress, however, alleged that the steps taken by the state government was intended to mislead the people ahead of the panchayat polls.
"The Chief Minister himself in a reply in the Assembly way back in 2010 has said that projects on upstream of Mahanadi would not affect Odisha. Now, if tribal people ask this question, what reply the state has?, Mishra asked.