Mahanadi row: All party meeting held in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Aug 4: An all-party meeting on Wednesday decided to form a joint committee to protect the interests of Odisha in the ongoing Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh.

The all-party meeting convened by Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra decided that the joint committee would be formed within seven days that would take steps to save Mahanadi water from Chhattisgarh.

"The joint committee would be formed within seven days. It would work to protect the interest of the state as far as Mahanadi water dispute is concerned. We will also submit a memorandum to the Governor on August 10," said Mishra.

The memorandum would be addressed to the President of India.

The all-party meeting also asked the state government to push the centre constituting a tribunal to resolve the inter-state water dispute on Mahanadi river.

The all-party meeting was attended by several political parties including BJP and Congress. However, ruling BJD did not attend the meeting.

"This was not an all-party meeting. All like-minded people gathered there. Both state BJP president and PCC president did not turn up to the meeting," said BJD spokesperson Pratap Dev.

Meanwhile, BJD workers on Wednesday detained all Chhattisgarh-bound goods trains for 30 minutes at railway stations across Odisha protesting construction of projects in the upper catchment of Mahanadi river by Chhattisgarh.

IANS