By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhuabneswar, May 25, 2018: A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state to address a public meeting at Cuttack, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday lambasted the NDA government at centre for what it called “insensitive to Odisha’s cause”.

Mr Patnaik, while addressing the concluding-day ceremony of the 11-day Mahanadi Surakshya Abhiyan, a campaign by his party against construction of numerous barrages over the river Mahanadi by Chhattisgarh’s Raman Singh government, said the NDA government was completely apathetical to address concerns raised by the Odisha government.

“We have been raising the issue of construction of barrages on the Mahanadi before the Union government and seeking the Centre’s intervention to forbid Chhattisgarh from such activity. Surprisingly, there has been no positive response from the Centre. On the other hand, it has always taken the sides of the Chhattisgarh as it is ruled by the BJP. If the Centre is really concerned about Odisha, can it ask Chhattisgarh to stop all construction activities on the Mahanadi that has checked water flow to our state?” asked the CM.

He noted that depletion in water flow in the Mahanadi had started affecting major ecosystems like Satokosia and Bhitarkanika sanctuaries located on the bank of the river.

“We are not fighting just for water, we are fighting for life of Mahanadi,” Patnaik said.

In July last year, the National Green Tribunal had stayed operation of 31 projects undertaken by the Chhattisgarh government on Mahanadi after social activist Sudarshan Das filed a petition alleging mindless construction of barrages and industrial projects. Mr Das alleged that the construction upstream affected the flow and ecology of the river downstream.