No DPRs Yet From Chhattisgarh Even After 15-Day-Deadline: Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government on Tuesday (August 16), dashed reminders to neighbouring Chhattisgarh Government as well as the Central Water Commission (CWC) seeking the requisite detailed project reports (DPRs) on all the existing, current and future structures on upper catchment of Mahanadi river basin as promised at the tripartite meeting held at New Delhi on July 29 despite the 15-day deadline officially given then.

Briefing media on Wednesday, Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said, “As at the Delhi meeting we were assured to be provided with the data on all the structures on the upper catchments of river Mahanadi within 15 days, we’ve sent reminders to both the Chhattisgarh Government and CWC”.

Elaborating on it, Water Resources Principal Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena, who also attended the July 29 meeting at New Delhi along with Padhi, informed, “Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary at the meeting had readily assured us to provide with all data on the existing, current and future projects over Mahanadi within 15 days, but yet to receive. Hence, we’ve sent reminders to both Chhattisgarh Government and CWC. We’ve apprised our concerns and requested the CWC to avail all the data we’d sought from Chhattisgarh and send us so that we can study and analyse for our future course of action”.

On the importance of Chhattisgarh data and sole stress given by Odisha upon it, Jena explained, “Whatever may be the department, official data plays a pivotal role for exact calculation, assessment of impact during various seasons and above all our engineering wing will work out on the various angles”.

The Water Resources Principal Secretary quipped, “Once we are armed with the exact calculation as well as impact assessment basing on the official data provided, we will build our strategy to counter. So let’s wait for a reasonable time period”.

BJD spokesperson Pratap Jena speaking to media on the day said, “Chhattisgarh Government should cooperate with Odisha on Mahanadi issue. Forget about Chhattisgarh Government, the way two BJP leaders of our state holding offices as Union Ministers are conspiring against Odisha would pose more perils to our state and its people in near future. Hence, we have decided to unanimously pass a motion on the major issue in the forthcoming Assembly session and submit it to the Central Government about Odisha's grave concerns”.