Bhubaneswar: The Mahanadi water-sharing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh has triggered a fresh political row, with leader of opposition and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik accusing the state govt of lacking sincerity and commitment to protect the “lifeline”. Odisha advocate general Pitambar Acharya strongly refuted the charges. Naveen criticised the state govt after Acharya did not attend a crucial hearing before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal. Naveen said it was deeply disappointing that Odisha’s side was not presented at a time when people of the state pinned high hopes on the proceedings. “What could be more important than protecting the Mahanadi?” Naveen asked, alleging the BJP govt was not taking the issue seriously and was merely indulging in “crocodile tears”. Describing the Mahanadi as the “mother and lifeline of Odisha”, he said lakhs of farmers, fishermen and countless Odias depend on the river, and warned that no compromise on its protection would be acceptable. Naveen also asserted that BJD’s fight to save the river would intensify with people’s participation. Acharya accused Naveen of political posturing and urged him to undertake self-introspection. Acharya said that during the previous BJD regime, the state’s legal team spent crores of rupees over seven years without achieving any concrete result in the Mahanadi dispute.Acharya claimed that after the BJP came to power, a positive approach adopted by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with the Centre’s intervention, opened the door for an amicable resolution between both states. He also clarified that the hearing was limited to the extension of the tribunal’s tenure and did not require his physical presence. Calling Naveen’s remarks “disappointing”, Acharya said the statement appeared like a sudden reaction made after a long silence on the issue.
