Gadkari formula draws Congress fire

BHUBANESWAR: Union water resources minister Nitin Gadkari's appeal to the state government to resolve Mahanadi water-sharing dispute with Chhattisgarh through dialogue has triggered political war of words.
A day after Gadkari's statement, Congress veteran and leader of opposition Narasingha Mishra on Friday said the NDA government seemed to have crossed all limits of decency. He also criticized the BJD for being failed to put forth the issue properly in parliament.

"The Centre once informed (with an apparent reference to former water resources minister of state Sanjeev Balyan's reply in parliament) that the water-sharing dispute cannot be resolved by negotiation. It means there is no meaning in further discussions and the Centre is bound to constitute a tribunal," Narasingha said.

"The Union minister talked about a composite tribunal for all river disputes. But the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, is valid now and the Centre is bound to constitute a tribunal within one year of receiving application from the state government," Narasingha said.

As Balyan had also stated in parliament in August 2017 that draft cabinet memorandum has been prepared on Mahanadi tribunal but it could never be constituted, Narasingha said the BJD members could have moved a breach of privilege notice against him for misleading the house. BJD Rajya Sabha member and party spokesperson Pratap Deb said though the Union minister's statement, urging Odisha to come for discussion is unfortunate.

Though the state BJP leaders have urged the Odisha government to go for discussion again, senior party leader Bijoy Mohapatra has taken a different stand.

Addressing the reporters here, Bijoy said when two meetings at the level of chief ministers and chief secretaries of both states have failed, what is there to discuss.

"The Union minister said they would not do any injustice to Odisha but the fact remains that Odisha has already become a victim of Centre's injustice. In Mahanadi water flow has been reduced over past one year," Bojiy said.

BJP general secretary Bhrugu Baxipatra lashed out at the state government for being silent over past 10 years against Chhattisgarh's constructions. He accused the ruling BJD of trying to politicize the issue instead of making efforts to resolve it.