ADB cautions Orissa govt on water allotment to industries

Bhubaneswar, May 9 (UNI) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today assured to provide assistance of 170 million dollar to the Orissa government for Irrigation and Water Management and cautioned the state government on the ''indiscriminate'' allotment of water to industries.

ADB team leader Team Kenechi Yokohama, who called on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik yesterday to discuss the funding of the Orissa Integrated Irrigation Agriculture and Water Management (OIAWM) project in the state, told newsmen here that the interest of the farmers should be kept in mind while allotting water to the industries.

Mr Yokohama's statement assumed much significance as there had been hue and cry both in the political circle and also among the farmers over the state government's decision to allot water to several business houses, which had signed MoU for setting up of mineral-based industries.

The Orissa government had proposed to the ADB to fund Rs 1,251 crore to strengthen the existing irrigation system and bring more land under irrigation facilities under the OIAWM project.

Mr Yokayama along with ADB country director Tadashi Kondo had attended a two-day workshop on river water management in the state.

State Water Resources Principal Secretary Arabinda Behera, however, has clarified that the government has made water management plan mandatory for the industrial houses in signing of the MoU for setting up of industries in the state.

He said a technical committee, constituted by the government, had been looking into the water needs of various industries in the state.

Mr Behera admitted that there had been some conflict between the farmers and the industrial houses on use of water but maintained that the state government had accorded priority to agriculture, ecology and drinking water in its water policy and said the interest of the agriculture would not be compromised in any case.

He said there was abundant water in rainy season but scarcity in non-monsoon season and the industries had been asked to take adequate steps to store water to be used during the lean season.

UNI