Furore in Orissa Assembly over CM's absence

Bhubaneswar, June 3: The Orissa Assembly witnessed furore as the Opposition Congress took strong exception to the absence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to reply a debate on water supply to the Industrial Houses from the Hirakud Reservoir.

As soon as Speaker Maheswar Mohanty asked Steel and Mines Minister Padmanav Behera to reply to the adjournment motion brought by Congress member Satya Bhusan Sahu and others, the Opposition rose on their feet and opposed to Mr Behera replying on the motion.

Mr Behera went on reading a statement despite protest from the Opposition Congress members who shouted slogan against the Chief Minister for avoiding the house on many occasions.

Speaker Maheswar Mohanty ruled that the Chief Minister has authorised Mr Behera to make statement and said as per the parliamentary practice, the Chief Minister could authorise any Minister to reply on his behalf in the house.

Congress Deputy leader Narashingha Mishra wanted to raise a point of order but the Speaker refused to oblige him and instead asked the Opposition members to participate in the debate soon after the minister completed his statement.

The agitated Congress members who insisted that the Chief Minister must come to the house and make a statement on the issue, refused to participate in the debate.

This prompted the Speaker to reject the admissibility of the adjournment motion without any debate and adjourned the house till 1500 hours for lunch.

Later, Leader of Opposition J B Pattnaik told newspersons in his assembly chamber that the Chief Minister who has been holding the Water Resource Department, despite being present in the Assembly, did not turn up to participate in such a sensitive debate concerning the livelihood of lakhs of farmers in the state. He described the absence of the Chief Minister in the floor of the house as ''most unfortunate''. The Chief Minister, the Leader of Opposition said should be present in the House and help his Council of Ministers in the debate.

Mr Pattnaik said it has been always a practice for the Chief Minister to remain absent in all important debates concerning his departments and authorise other minister to reply on his behalf.

The Leader of Opposition cautioned that lakhs of farmers in the state would be badly affected if the water from Hirakud Reservoir would be supplied to the big industrial houses in the state.

He alleged that the Naveen Patnaik government has been sacrificing the interest of farming community while allowing the industrial houses to draw water from the Hirakud reservoir.

UNI