Odisha not keen on Centre’s move to link Mahanadi,Godavari

Sambad English Bureau Published On : May 30, 2015 at 3:25 PM Updated On : May 30, 2015 at 3:28 PM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 30:

Not overly enthusiastic about the proposal, the Odisha government has told the Centre there is need for more study on the Central Water Commission (CWC) proposal for interlinking of Godavari and Mahanadi rivers.

NROs celebrate Raja festival in Netherlands

USBM holds HR conference in Bhubaneswar

The state government has told a high-level delegation of the Union Water Resources ministry that it would take a final decision on the move after a through review on it.

The delegation, led by additional secretary in the Union Water Resources department Amarjit Singh, CWC chairman AV Pandya and director general of National Water Development Agency Masud Hussain had a meeting in this regard with chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat here on Friday.

The delegation made a Power Point presentation on the river interlinking project at the meeting.

Senior officials of the Odisha government present at the meeting argued that there has been more pressure on Mahanadi due to mushrooming of industrial units near the river. Besides, the river water has been underutilized as most parts of the riverside areas are yet to be irrigated.

Considering the above, a detailed study would reveal whether the interlinking of Mahanadi would be beneficial to the state, they pointed out.

As per the blueprint on interlinking of rivers prepared by the CWC, the water of Ganges would be linked with Subarnarekha, Brahmani, Baitarani and Mahanadi rivers from where the water of these rivers would be linked to Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rivers through Rushikulya.

A dam would be built at Manibhadra in Nayagarh district which would take the water of Mahanadi to Rushikukya, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri through a 827-km long canal that would pass through Nayagarh, Khordha, Ganjam, and Gajapati districts and Srikakulam and Vizianagaram and Vishakhapatnam in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Among others, chief secretary, development commissioner, and secretaries of Rural Development and Works departments were present.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the CWC chairman said the team will have another round of meeting with the state government on the project.