Ruckus in Odisha Assembly over farmers, Mahanadi issues

Odisha Assembly today witnessed repeated adjournments after question hour as the members of ruling BJD and Opposition Congress and BJP created pandemonium over Mahanadi and farmers issues.
Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat, however, managed to pass the supplementary budget of 39 departments through guillotine amidst the din prevailing in the House.
After the question hour, the BJP members raised the farmers issue and stormed into well of the House demanding loan waiver. They shouted slogans against the BJD government and termed it as "anti-farmer".
The farmers of the state are badly affected as the kharif crop has been hit by drought, subsequent pest attack and unseasonal rain.

The BJD members, on the other hand, raised the Mahanadi issue and accused the Centre of being partisan.
They alleged that the central government is supporting the BJP ruled Chhattisgarh which is constructing projects of upstream of Mahanadi river "illegally."

Odisha has been opposing construction of a number of barrages and dams by Chhattisgarh on the upper reaches of the Mahanadi river saying it would affect the state's farmers.
The Centre had told the Supreme Court on December 6 that the ongoing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over Mahanadi should be sorted out through negotiations between the parties concerned.
Sanjay Dasburma of the BJD claimed that Chhattisgarh government has planned river interlinking to draw more water from Mahanadi and, in that case, Odisha will soon be dry.

Among heated exchange of words between members of the two parties, Speaker Amat adjourned the House till 3 pm.
When the House reassembled, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress sought a ruling from the Speaker on the alleged exploitation of paddy farmers at government 'mandis'.
Mishra said the agriculture minister should clarify in the House as to why the government mandis deduct about 5 kg on each 100 kg of paddy being sold by farmers.
As the speaker proceeded with other business, Congress MLAs rushed to well and raised anti-government slogans alleging distress sale of paddy by farmers.
While the BJP members also joined the Congress MLAs, treasury bench members again raised the Mahanadi issue creating a ruckus and Amat adjourn the House till 4.28 pm.

When the House re-assembled, a similar scene was recreated by the opposition members.
However, the speaker managed to pass the additional expenditure statement of 39 departments through guillotine and adjourned the House till tomorrow.