BJP workers show black flags to BJD team before C’garh visit

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Jharsuguda, Aug 9:

The BJD’s 12-member panel formed to study the impact of projects upstream of Mahanadi on Odisha was shown black flags by BJP workers near Belpahar check post in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district before the team’s visit to Chhattisgarh today.

As many as 10 BJP activists were detained by police after the incident, sources said.

Meanwhile, the BJD team started its journey towards Chhattisgarh this morning. Led by party’s Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya, the panel is on a two-day visit to the state where it would ascertain the number of projects by the Chhattisgarh government on Mahanadi’s upstream, its impact on Odisha and how the water flow to Hirakud dam will be affected by the projects.

Notably, ministers Debi Prasad Mishra, Pradip Amat, Sanjay Das Burma, senior western Odisha leader Mangala Kissan, Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) president Kishore Mohanty, former minister Padmanav Behera, Redhakhol MLA Rohit Pujari, Convener of Krushak Morcha Sushant Singh, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb, former minister Pramila Mallick and Sambalpur MLA Raseswari Panigrahi are prominent members of the team.

Retired engineers who were earlier connected with Hirakud Dam have been roped in as advisors in the team. They are former engineer-in-chief (EICs) of Water Resources department Sarat Mohanty, Sridhar Behera, and Ramesh Chandra Rath.

The team will submit its report to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik after holding discussions with different technical experts, civil society members and leaders of political parties.