Claiming that a dispute over the river Mahanadi water is being "created" for political reasons, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh today said the issue could be resolved in just three minutes minus political consideration.
"There can not be a water dispute over river Mahanadi. It (dispute) is being created for political reasons. If we (Raman and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik) sit for one minute, solution will come out in three minutes....I do not think it proper to make Mahanadi water dispute an issue in the panchayat elections," Singh told a public meeting at Budra in Bolangir district.
Odisha government has alleged that the neighbouring state had unilaterally constructed projects on the upstream of Mahanadi leading to slowing down of flow of water in the Hirakud reservoir.
The state government has already moved the Centre protesting Chhattishgarh's action after Singh rejected Odisha government's proposal of stopping projects on the river. The ruling BJD has already made it an issue in the panchayat polls.
Singh, who came to Odisha as a star campaigner for BJP candidates contesting the three-tier panchayat elections amid protests from all non-BJP parties in the state, clarified that the purpose of his visit is to clear the air of misunderstanding among the Odia people on the Mahanadi row.
"I am here to tell the truth and dispel the air of misunderstanding. I have come here not as the chief minister of neighbouring Chhattisgarh but as a true neighbourer. It is my duty as a neighbour to inform the people what the truth is," he said.
Singh said he was ready for a discussion to resolve the Mahanadi water issue for the benefit of both the states. "However, the matter should be resolved on the basis of facts and not on political consideration."
Quoting the CWC (Central Water Commission) statistics, the Chhattisgarh chief minister claimed that 82 per cent of the Mahanadi river water drains into the sea.
"While Odisha utilises 13 per cent of the Mahanadi water, Chhattisgarh gets only 4 per cent," Singh claimed adding that 87 per cent of Mahanadi's catchment area falls in Chhattisgarh while Odisha has only 13 per cent.
Hitting out at the Odisha's BJD government, the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister said, "The volume of water that is flowing down to Hirakud dam can fill the reservoir five times. But, unfortunately major portion of the water is draining into the sea. The state government could not make any arrangement to utilise the water being wasted."
"The Odisha government should think about the 82 per cent of water going down to the sea instead of raising their voice against only 4 per cent of water being utilised by us," Singh said.
(Reopens CAL2)
Pointing out that Mahanadi connects the people of both Chhattisgarh and Odisha, Raman Singh said, "How can Mahanadi divide the people? People of Chhattisgarh and Odisha enjoy a cordial relationship. None can break the relationship between the two states."
Desribing Odisha as an "elder brother" and Chhattisgarh as its "younger brother", Singh said Lord Jagannath, Maa Samaleswari and river Mahanadi are the binding forces between the people of the two states.
While seeking people's support for the BJP candidates, Singh said, "The Mahanadi row will not exist if BJP comes to power in Odisha."
Citing lack of irrigation facilities in Bolangir district of Odisha, Singh said, "The state govenrment could have improved irrigation facilities by 50 per cent had it created small check dams and other arrangements. Only 3 per cent of the land here is irrigated though there is no dearth of rivers and water sources in Bolangir. So people from here migrate to other places due to lack of irrigation facilities."
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister will also participate in the BJP panchayat poll campaign at Kandheikela in Jharsuguda district and Subdega of Sundargarh.
