BJD to intensify stir on Mahanadi issue

The BJD is all set for another bout of agitation on the Mahanadi issue. The party will hold a meeting on April 22 where MLAs, MPs, ZP and Block chiefs, Municipality and NAC chairmen, BJD district, block, Nagar level presidents from 15 districts on the bank of the river Mahanadi, besides representatives from various wings of the party and organsations would join.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and party supremo Naveen Patnaik would remain present and discuss with the representatives from the 15 riverside districts.

At a meeting here on Sunday, the BJD leaders discussed various issues concerning the gradual drying up of the Mahanadi, the delay in framing the ToR for the tribunal by the Centre to help the BJP State Government in Chhatisgarh ahead of the local election in the State and the construction of barrages on the river upstream and also on the upstream of the IB river.

The leaders said as the Chhatisgarh has closed all the gates in the Kalama barrage, the water flows to the Mahanadi river downstream have dipped considerably. They said due to the drying up of the river, many people whose life and livelihood were hit have started deserting their villages on the bank of the river.

The leaders reiterated their resolve to continue fighting for the interest of Odisha. MP Prasanna Acharya , BJD vice president Debi Prasad Mishra, general secretary Sanjaya Das Burma, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Ministers Niranjan Pujari, Sashi Bhusan Behera, Usha Devi, Padmanav Behera, Pranab Prakash Das, BJD legal cell convenor Milan Kanungo, spokesperson Asinm Amitav Das, Water Resources former Chief Engineer Sridhar Behera took part in the discussion. MLA Prasant Muduli, Bhubaneswar Mayor Anata Narayan Jena, State secretary Bijaya Nakak, BJD Youth president Ameresh Patri, BJD student wing present Ranapratap Patra also gave their opinions on the issue.