About 52 per cent of the Mahanadi river water flows to the sea, while Odisha can utilise only 22,948 million cubic meter (MCM) of water, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told the state Assembly today.
Of the 48,732 MCM of water flowing through the river in the state, only 22,948.3 MCM is being utilised by the state, he added.
Replying to a written question of Congress Whip Taraprasad Bahinipati, Patnaik said 25,783.7 MCM of the river water flows to the sea.
Of the 22,948 MCM water, 11,079 MCM is utilised for agriculture, while 112.92 MCM is used for drinking purpose, the chief minister said, adding that another 1,280 MCM of water is used for industrial purposes.
Patnaik said the state government has taken up at least five projects since 2000 to utilise the water flowing to the sea.
These projects are -- Lower Indra, Lower Suktel, Manjor Irrigation Project, Titlagarh Irrigation Project and Hadua Irrigation Project, he added.
The chief minister's statement assumes significance as the state is engaged in a dispute with neighbouring state Chhattisgarh for "unilaterally" constructing projects on the upstream of the river.
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