The Odisha unit of Communist Party of India(Marxist) would take out a procession from Parliament Street to Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 5 seeking President Ram Nath Kovind’s intervention for early settlement of the Mahanadi river water dispute.
The Chhattisgarh government should immediately stop construction of dams and barrages over the Mahanadi till the tribunal gives its verdict, said the party here on Saturday.
“The Chhattisgarh government has constructed a dozen barrages and dams without the permission of the Central government. Since Mahanadi is an inter-State river, any construction over it should be finalised after due consultation with the Odisha government and Centre,” said Janardan Pati, member of the CPI(M) Odisha State committee.
Tribunal’s verdict
“It is well known that the tribunal will take a minimum three years and possibly more. Till the tribunal’s verdict is not published, the Chhattisgarh government should stop all kind of construction over the river,” said Mr. Pati.
Senior party leader Ali Kishore Patnaik claimed that the construction of barrages and dams would restrict the normal flow of water to Odisha and affect the lives of 20 million people in the lower catchment areas.