Mahanadi row: BJD questions secrecy over data submitted to tribunal
Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has demanded that the Bharatiya Janata Party make public the data on water availability in Odisha’s Mahanadi basin that was reportedly presented by the state government before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT), accusing it of trying to hide certain information.
The BJD on Friday raised the demand following questions raised by the “Mahanadi Banchao Andolan”, a prominent citizens’ action group dedicated to protecting the Mahanadi river basin, over the data submitted before the Tribunal.
In a press statement issued, BJD Spokesperson and Media Coordinator Lenin Mohanty said that recently, as per the directions of the Mahanadi Tribunal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh have reportedly submitted data regarding the availability of water resources in the Mahanadi.
Raising questions over the data, the Mahanadi Banchao Andolan wrote a letter to the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi requesting time for a discussion with him.
“However, the Chief Minister neither responded to the request nor gave time to the Mahanadi Banchao Andolan,” Mohanty alleged.
He said that as no opportunity for discussion with Chief Minister Majhi was provided by May 20, the office bearers of the Mahanadi Banchao Andolan on Friday reached the Chief Minister’s residence and attempted to hold discussions with him but failed.
The senior BJD leader claimed that the Commissionerate Police allegedly forcibly removed the activists agitating for the Mahanadi in an undemocratic manner.
The BJD said that the data related to Mahanadi water resources submitted by both states — Odisha and Chhattisgarh — should be made public.
“The Biju Janata Dal believes that the data related to Mahanadi water resources submitted by both states should be made public. Instead of transparently disclosing the Mahanadi-related data, those who wanted to meet the Chief Minister and discuss the issue were detained by the police. This indicates that the state government is trying to hide certain information,” Mohanty alleged.
He also accused the state government of adopting delaying tactics on an important issue like the Mahanadi water dispute.
“The BJP government in Odisha has no clear approach toward resolving the Mahanadi water dispute. The government is confused,” Mohanty said.