Mahanadi-Godavari interlinking project opposed

BHUBANESWAR: Activists of the State on Tuesday strongly opposed the Mahanadi-Godavari river interlinking project by alleging that it would not be beneficial for Odisha. 

Briefing reporters at a Press conference organised by the National Institute of Development (NID) here, activist Tapan Padhi and journalist Bibhuti Pati said that the project would help Andhra Pradesh at the cost of Odisha.

To justify the claim, the duo argued that Andhra Pradesh would get 710.6 crore cubic metre water (58.4 per cent) out of the total 1216.5 crore cubic metre water which is proposed to be harvested by the project. According to the proposal, if the Centre constructs link canal after building a dam on the Manibhadra River, canal’s 30-km area would be in Odisha and 526 km in Andhra Pradesh, they added.

“Due to the project, around one lakh family would be directly affected. The project would submerge 63,003 hectares of farming land, 4000 hectares of reserve forest and 5520 hectares of village jungles and destroy the habitat of thousands of wild life animals. After bearing so much of loss, why will we support the project?” asked the activists.    

The State was told that the Central project would irrigate 3,5,786 hectares of agricultural land and would control flood in the Mahanadi basin, but how can the State compromise with the Centre for a few sops by losing so much of its resources, said Sahu.

Activist Tapan Padhi said the State Government has to carry out a study to know whether the Mahanadi has surplus water or not. “It is seen that most of the time the river remains dry. How can it give 710.6 crore cubic water to Godavari?” he added.

Sahu said the State didn’t get any positive response from the Centre in Polavaram issue. “We are going to lose several villages of Odisha due to the project which will help Andhra Pradesh. Now the interlinking project will also help the neighbouring State instead of ours,” said Sahu.