The Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO) and Mahanadi River Waterkeeper convenor Ranjan Panda regretted that both Chhattisgarh and Odisha are treating…
Mahanadi River
The Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO) and Mahanadi River Waterkeeper convenor Ranjan Panda regretted that both Chhattisgarh and Odisha are treating Mahanadi as a commodity, not as a natural resource.
“No doubt Chhattisgarh has constructed many dams and barrages without the consent of Odisha and has obstructed a lot of water, but that does not mean we can conclude that Chhattisgarh has siphoned off water from Odisha’s share”, stated Panda.
Let the tribunal decide how to make such an analysis and instruct Chhattisgarh to stop these obstructions if they are found to be illegal. But, let’s not close the door of dialogue and cooperation between the two states on several issues that needs urgent attention.
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Barrages alone are not killing Mahanadi, there are many other factors that need urgent intervention,” Panda said. “Our concern should be on how to rejuvenate the ecological entity of Mahanadi.
The two states should come together to solve Mahanadi problem. Changes should be brought in the laws at the national level to establish the rights of communities over river and the river’s own rights.”
Vice-Chancellor of Sambalpur University Prof Deepak Behera, announced that a research project dedicated to Mahanadi will be initiated in the university. The research will not only be limited to the university lab, it will involve the field level workers too.
He added that a proper assessment of water availability and distribution between different priorities is important to understand the challenges as well as suggest measures to solve them.
He emphasised on a resource mapping involving communities of the basin to ensure their stake on the river. Prof Premanand Panda felt that while seeking a solution to the Mahanadi problem, we should not have an Orissa- centric approach but a river centric approach. Climate change expert Saroj Dash, civil society leaders Umashankar Sahu, Sneha Mishra and Prafulla Hota all stressed on dialogue and cooperation.
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