Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said health of rivers should be maintained for the survival of human civilisation.
Patnaik said this after inaugurating the 8th edition of Odisha Environment Congress at Regional Museum of National History here.
"Rivers are integrally involved with the growth and development of human civilisation. It is thus the responsibility of society to ensure that the rivers live in good health and continue to serve the humanity in a sustainable manner," Patanaik said.
He also stressed on the water sharing conflict between states.
"The gluttony for water, territorial approach to ownership over river water and utter disregard to environmental needs of the river system has most often led to water conflict," he said.
Patnaik said unless all riparian state respect the basic philosophy and principles of equitable sharing of river water with due regard to its health and follow the territorial approach, such conflicts are bound to magnify in future and lead to disharmony in the country.
Stating that such attempts must be addressed by following judicious approach of the needs of each of the stake-holders including that of the river, Patnaik said none of the stake-holders is allowed to shy away from their mandated responsibilities towards healthy river system.
He said the state government has launched different programmes for water conservation, rain water harvesting and ground water recharge in a sustainable manner.
The chief minister said the state government has recently started an ambitious plantation programme for plantation of two crore trees within radius of one km along both sides of the Mahanadi river and other major rivers for water and soil conservation.
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