BJD blames BJP’s lack of national outlook for row

SAMBALPUR: Senior BJD leader and Rajya Sabha Member Prasanna Acharya on Tuesday said lack of national outlook of Narendra Modi Modi-led BJP Government at the Centre has resulted in the Mahanadi river dispute.

Addressing the media during ‘Meet the Press’ programme here, Acharya said in a federal country, the Union Government should intervene to resolve dispute between two States. But the Modi Government has failed to perform its duty. The narrow-minded approach of the Union Government is a threat to national integrity, he said.

The Mahanadi dispute will lead to water crisis in the State in future. However, there is still time and if sincere efforts are made by the Centre, the matter could be resolved, he said.BJP-led Governments are both at the centre and Chhattisgarh. The Centre should put moral pressure on Chhattisgarh Government to resolve the dispute. Instead of intervening in the matter, Prime Minister Modi is keeping mum over the issue, Acharya alleged.

Criticising Modi for lying on Mahanadi issue at a public meeting in Cuttack, the BJD leader said the PM claimed that the Centre was ready to form tribunal but Odisha refused. “Everybody knows about the stand of Odisha on formation of a tribunal on the water dispute,” he said.

Acharya also came down heavily on Chhattisgarh Government for illegally constructing dams on Mahanadi. Even the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority of Chhattisgarh has moved court against its own Irrigation department over the illegal construction, he claimed.  

Moreover, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a stay on further construction over Mahanadi. However, Chhattisgarh has floated tender for construction of a new barrage on the river recently in violation of the NGT order, he added.