Patnaik regrets PM's silence, Odisha to move court

Rueing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained silent over river Mahanadi water dispute, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today asserted that his government will move court for protection of the state's interest.
"I had sought the Prime Minister's intervention in the Mahanadi water issue. However, it is a matter of regret that the Prime Minister does not respond to us in this sensitive matter," Patnaik said while addressing the ruling BJD MPs, MLAs and senior leaders here.
Stating that the state government has been time and again reminding the Centre about the 'adverse impact' of the project by Chhattisgarh on Odisha, Patnaik said, "The Centre is not pursuing the issue with sincerity and has been ignoring our demands.

"I attended the tripartite meeting convened by the Centre in Delhi. I had demanded stop of construction work by Chhattishgarh government. But the Centre has been supporting the Chhattisgarh government silently owing to political considerations. Our fight will continue and we will take the matter to Supreme Court," he added.
Patnaik was of the view that the construction work being carried out by the Chhattishgarh government on the upstream of river Mahanadi, could be stopped if Centre wanted.
"But, the Centre is not doing anything to stop work by the Chhattishgarh government," the Odisha Chief Minister said.
He also blamed the Congress for allowing Chhattishgarh to go ahead with unilateral construction on upstream of river Mahanadi when the party was in power.

Similarly, Patnaik said the BJP-led Central government also helped Andhra Pradesh government to carry forward Polavaram project though the matter was sub-judice.