BHUBANESWAR: The state government has asked the
Chhattisgarh government to cancel the tender process for
Mohmela Sirpur barrage over Mahanadi as no information regarding the project has been shared with Odisha.
Water Resources secretary
P K Jena in a letter to his Chhattisgarh counterpart has said the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) eastern zone bench at Kolkata had asked Chhattisgarh not to go ahead with the execution activities of any new dams and barrages.
"Since the entire matter (construction of projects over Mahanadi) is in seisin by us, we expect the state of Chhattisgarh not to proceed with those projects which have not yet been taken up for execution,” Jena said quoting the green tribunal on July 26, 2017.
The Chhattisgarh government has initiated the tender process for construction of Mohmela Sirpur barrage on November 17, last year. The project is estimated to be developed at an investment of Rs 176 crore.
Jena said construction of Mohmela Sirpur barrage is in gross violation of the NGT order.
The water resources secretary also said that commissioning of any such project without prior intimation to its co-basin state (Odisha) is a contravention to the Central Water Commission guidelines and is prejudicial to the interest of Odisha and its habitation.
Raising the issue in the state assembly during a discussion on Mahanadi, BJD leader
Sanjay Das Burma hit out at the Chhattisgarh government for such unilateral act. Das Burma urged the Centre to immediately direct the Chhattisgarh government to scarp the project.