Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 12:

Holding Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments responsible for the Mahanadi row the Congress has called for Odisha bandh on August 16, informed Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Prasad Harichandan at a press conference here today.

Cong press meet on Mahanadi issue

“The Congress has called for a state-wide bandh on August 16 against the great betrayal by both Odisha and Chhattisgarh over Mahanadi,” stated Harichandan

“We appeal to the people of Odisha to make August 16 bandh a success. Mahanadi is the lifeline of Odisha. Odisha’s future will be in crisis on Mahanadi drying up. Not only that farming will be ruined or the state will face drought, people of Odisha will not get a drop of water to drink,” he added.

Senior Congress leader and the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly Narasingha Mishra who also shared the dais with the PCC president at the press conference said: “We humbly appeal to the people of the state to support August 16 Odisha bandh. In the interest of the people of Odisha, a delegation of the Congress legislators had visited Chhattisgarh and had held discussions with senior officials there. After studying the projects we observed that Chhattisgarh government was constructing different projects in a unilateral manner without paying a heed to Odisha’s interests. Works on some projects have already been completed. It’s for sure on completion of these projects water inflow into Hirakud Dam will be affected.”

“On commissioning of Chhattisgarh projects, Mahanadi will dry up downstream. Water will not be available for power generation. Congress will continue its fight for Odisha. The government of Odisha including Chhattisgarh and Central governments are responsible for the problem. The Central government should immediately intervene in the matter and stop construction of ongoing projects,” he pointed out.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the senior Congressman said: “Ever since the day Naveen Patnaik has become the Chief Minister of the state, problems one after another are coming to the fore.”

“Odisha government should take whatever step it can in accordance with the law. If no steps are taken, it will lead to a dangerous situation in Odisha,” he warned.