State's ‘attitude' on river waters flayed

Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR: The Southern Orissa Development Council (SODC), a people's forum, here on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the State government for its alleged indifferent approach to utlising river water.

The criticism came in wake of possibility of submergence of more than 20 villages in Orissa by Polavaram project of Andhra Pradesh. Addressing a press conference here, Dayanidhi Sahoo, president of SODC, said successive governments in Orissa had failed to realise potential of rivers passing through southern districts and as a result Andhra Pradesh was planning project after project using runoff water from Orissa rivers, it said.

SODC demanded establishment of Water Resource Development Authority for Rushikulya, Vanshadhara, Nagabali, Kolab and Indravati rivers.

“River Godavari in Andrha Pradesh is enriched by water from the rivers like Machakund, Sileru, Potteru, Saptadhara-Kolab-Saveri which originate from mountains of Koraput.

Had Orissa government been serious on protesting against Polavaram project, it should have started irrigation projects the upstream,” the SODC president said.

Now the State was facing imminent threat of getting affected by Indira Sagar project at Polavaram. “Under present circumstances, leaders irrespective of party lines should get united and oppose the project,” he said.

Similarly, although Indravati was flowing in many parts of Nabrangpur district, agriculture there remained dependant on rain, Mr. Sahoo said. He said the Orissa government was not focusing its attention on preventing water from flowing into Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Situation was similar on rivers such as Mahendratanaya, Jhanjavati and Vanshadhara, Mr. Sahoo sai.d