Mahanadi Bachao Andolan — a newly-formed forum comprising leaders of various political parties and social workers — on Sunday stepped up its pressure on the state government to stop supply of water to industrial houses.
Addressing a press conference here, leaders of the forum said if the state government did not discontinue water supply to industries it would launch a vigorous protest campaign across the state.
“Mahanadi river is the lifeline of Orissa. The Hirakud dam, Naraj and Jobra barrages were constructed over it basically to cater to the irrigation and drinking water requirements. However, the present government is deliberately allowing the industrial houses from to draw water from these places at the cost of the farmers,” said senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra.
Stating that water from Jobra barrage could not be supplied to farmers during the kharif season last year because of inadequate availability of the resource, Mr Mohapatra said, adding that the situation in coastal Orissa could somehow be saved if 3000 cusecs of water was released from Hirakud dam between September 30 and October 30.
Hirakud dam has lost its live storage capacity due to siltation and construction of nearly 30 dams and barrages in Chhattishgarh.