Mahanadi: Gadkari invites Odisha CM, BJD MPs to discuss water dispute with Chhattisgarh

New Delhi, Jan 4: Union Water Resources and River Development Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday invited Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs for consultations with the Centre to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh. 

During Lok Sabha Question Hour, Mr Gadkari said the Centre is willing to cooperate with the Odisha government and open avenues so that water is supplied to the eastern state - which faces perennial shortage every year in the non-rainy season.
Answering supplementaries from BJD's B Mahtab, Nagendra Kumar Pradhan, Kalikesh N Singh Deo and Arjun Sethi, Mr Gadkari said while a new law is coming to set up a tribunal to take care of all water disputes between the states, the Centre is willing to "cooperate" with the Odisha government.
Biju Janata Dal members, however, complained that the Centre was probably taking the side of Chhattisgarh as it was under BJP rule. "Because you did not restrain Chhattisgarh government from constructing four barrages, we are not coming to you," Mr Mahtab, the BJD floor leader, said.
Mr Mahtab and his party colleagues took exception to the Minister's remarks that the Odisha Chief Minister is "not coming" to Delhi for consultations on the issue with the Centre.
Mr Gadkari said, "I am willing to sit across the table and find a solution....we are not against Odisha.
In two months since I took charge of the ministry, we have resolved the river water disputes between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and also Gujarat and Maharashtra.'
Amid thumping of desks by Bharatiya Janata Party MPs, Mr Gadkari added that the Centre would even provide financial support if "capital expenditure" was required to ensure water supply to the state of Odisha from river Mahanadi based on 'catchment area share'.
To questions from BJD members, he said, "we are not against a tribunal....but when a solution can be found, why not sit across the table and talk".
At one point, Mr Mahtab and his party colleague Tathagata Satpathy said certain remarks from the Chair have hurt them to which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan responded, "I have not said anything like that". UNI