Chhattisgarh Gets Approval For Kelo Project Behind Our Back: Odisha Govt

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi on Monday denied receiving any letter from the Chhattisgarh government on construction of Kelo project in the upper catchment of Mahanadi river.

“We have not received any letter from the Chhattisgarh government regarding Kelo project. They even did not inform us when they sought clearance for the project from the Central Water Commission (CWC),” said Padhi addresses a press meet at state secretariat here.

He said they got the approval from the CWC behind their back in January, 2009.

“They neither informed during seeking project clearance not after getting approval from the CWC.  Despite being a co-basin state, Odisha was not informed by CWC about the approval of Kelo project,” said the Chief Secretary.

Notably, a section media claimed that the Chhattisgarh government had sent two letters too Odisha government in July and September, 2008 regarding Kelo project.