Mahanadi issue: Biju Mahila Dal holds ‘Kalash Yatra’ in Odisha’s Jharsuguda

Swetaparna Published On : Aug 21, 2016 at 9:29 PM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Jharsuguda, Aug 21:

Protesting against the unilateral construction of projects upstream of Mahanadi by the Chhattisgarh government, Biju Mahila Dal, the women’s wing of Odisha’s ruling party BJD today held ‘Kalash Sobha Yatra’ in Jharsuguda.

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Hundreds of Biju Mahila Dal workers carrying water-filled earthen pitchers on their heads marched in a rally from Manmohan School ground to the bus stand. Later, the slogan shouting marchers smashed the pitchers on the posters of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti, and Union Minister of State for Water Resources Sanjeev Balyan.

The protestors also burnt the effigies of Singh, Bharti, and Balyan.

Minister Snehagini Chhuria, BJD MLA Pramila Mallick, BJD MLA and senior party spokesperson Surya Narayan Patro, Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) Chairperson Kishore Mohanty, former MLA Anup Sai among others took part in the rally.

“Biju Mahila Dal today held ‘Kalash Sobha Yatra’ in Jharsuguda in protest against the construction of barrages on Mahanadi by Chhattisgarh. Till date youths and students had created awareness in this matter in Odisha, no mothers (women) have joined the movement in western Odisha. Yesterday ‘Kalash Sobha Yatra was held in Bargarh district, today its being held in Jharsuguda. Chhattisgarh is trying to hold back 85% of Mahanadi water by erecting barrages. This agitation is in protest of that,” stated BJD’s senior spokesperson Surya Narayan Patro.

“This rally is being organized in protest against the construction of barrages on the upper catchment of Mahanadi. We will visit every village and every house and ask women to take to the street in this matter. In the coming days we are going to take the stir to Delhi,” said Minister Snehagini Chhuria.

The Biju Mahila Dal will hold ‘Kalash Sobha Yatra’ at Sambalpur tomorrow, on August 23 at Deogarh, on August 24 at Bolangir and on August 25 at Subarnapur.