Odisha house monsoon session likely to be stormy

Bhubaneswar, Sep 21: The monsoon session of the Odisha assembly, beginning from tomorrow, is likely to be stormy. While the ruling party has identified Mahanadi, Polavaram, cut in central assistance as the issues to be raised in the Assembly, opposition Congress and BJP will also harp on other issues like Dana Majhi carrying his wife's body on shoulder, malnutrition deaths of children and police firing in Kandhamal district.

"Mahanadi and Polavaram issues to be raised in the Monsoon session of Odisha Assembly", said Patnaik after presiding over the BJD Legislature Party meeting here this evening. He said the party will also highlight how the centre cut down assistance to crucial schemes affecting the common people. Parliamentary Affairs Minister B K Arukha said at least 12 Bills would be tabled in the session. Leader of opposition Narasingha Mishra, who presided over the CLP meeting said:

"We will certainly raise the issue relating to the state government's failure to oppose the Chhattishgarh's barrage when they were being constructed. This apart, the party will also raise other issues."

Mishra also alleged that the chief minister wants to keep the Mahanadi issue alive in order to supress other important issues relating to health, law and order and others. Alleging that the state government has failed to take remedial measures after the Dana Majhi incident where he had to carry the body of his wife for 10 km as hospital authorities failed to provide a vehicle, Mishra said several such incidents have come to the fore in the recent past.

BJP state President Basant Panda said the 'deteriorating' law and order situation, largescale vacancies in posts of doctors and teachers, inaction of the government about drought in some parts of the state and several other issues will be raised during the session.

PTI