Without indulging in political game with Chhattisgarh, Odisha govt should build more barrages in Mahanadi: Union Minister Tudu

Bhubaneswar, April 30: Dispute with Chhattisgarh on the Mahanadi water is a political game. Kalma barrage on the  Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh is not a barrier for Odisha to utilize surplus water of the river, said Union Minister of State for Water Resources, Bisheswar Tudu on Saturday. During a review on the water resources in Bhubaneswar today, Tudu said that Chhattisgarh is building its own barrage at Kalma in its own territory. However, the Odisha government has no vision to build more reservoirs in the lower catchments of the Mahanadi. More dams and more barrages could have stored the surplus water of the Mahanadi for optimum use. Pointing at the negligence of the water resources department, Tudu said that he had declared to construct as many as 75 water reservoirs in each district across the state. Most of the states have put forth their proposals and detailed project reports in this connection. However, he has received no such proposal from the Odisha government so far. Apart from it, the Pani Dangar project of the state government, which was proposed at Gudari in the year 1961 is yet to be implemented. Responding to the remark of Tudu, the ruling BJD alleged that Tudu, being a son of the soil, is taking no favourable steps to make his state a water surplus province. BJD MP, Munna Khan said, Tudu being the Union Minister from Odisha should first of all ask the Chhattisgarh government to stop the construction of the Kalma barrage on the upper part of the Hirakud dam. At the same time he should proactively act for creating more water potential in Odisha, Khan added. On the other hand, senior Congress leader Suresh Kumar Routray said, both the BJD and BJP should stop the political game over the Kalma barrage. Rather, they should be very practical, as to how to stop the Kalma barrage in Chhattisgarh and how to create more water reservoirs in Mahanadi across the state.