The Congress on Sunday accused Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of having “allowed” neighbouring Chhattisgarh to construct several barrages, pick-up weirs and dams upstream of river Mahanadi and failing to utter a word of protest over the last decade despite having received letters and information from the neighbouring state. 

Today, the ruling BJD is crying foul and staging protests only to deflect public attention from the malnutrition deaths in Nagada village, the police firing on innocents in Kandhamal district and the chit fund scam, alleged OPCC president Prasad Harichandan. 

For over a decade CM Naveen Patnaik who holds the water resources portfolio had remained mum. There are letters of 2008,discussions in the Assembly etc to establish that the projects in Chhattisgarh had been taken up with the knowledge of Odisha government, he said. 

The CM has lost the moral right to utter a word of protest as he had remained silent and allowed Chhattisgarh to construct the dams and barrages, charged Harichandan. The OPCC president referred to a couple of letters of the Chhattisgarh government. 

Harichandan also read out a statement made by the then water resources department secretary of Odisha saying all the projects of Chhattisgarh will have no impact on flow of water to Odisha. The BJP and BJD are playing out a sham, a mock fight to divert public attention from several other issues, alleged the OPCC chief. 

“The ruling BJD has sacrificed Mahanadi for its own political interests, he chided while addressing a press conference here. Chhattisgarh government had informed about the Keol dam project, the Arpa Bhaisajhar barrage etc,” said Harichandan. 

The Congress will launch a movement to protect Mahanadi and also expose the BJD , BJP&’s double standards, said the OPCC chief. 

Meanwhile, the BJP too hit out at the BJD saying holding district level protests will not convince people as everyone can see through a political stunt aimed at deflecting attention from serious scams in the state. The three young ministers of the BJD government have been entangled in scams and scandals charged the BJP.