I am here to tell truth on Mahanadi water dispute: Chhattisgarh CM

Bolangir (Odisha): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who is in Odisha to campaign for BJP in the ensuring panchayat polls, on Thursday said he is here to tell the truth on Mahanadi water dispute.

Addressing a gathering at Burda in Bolangir district during BJP’s panchayat poll campaign here, the Chief Minister said the purpose of his visit to Odisha is to clear the air on Mahanadi row.

“ I am here to tell the truth as a fellow neighbour, not as a Chief Minister. It’s the duty of a neighbour to resolve misunderstanding,” said Singh.

He claimed 82% of the Mahanadi river water drains into the sea.

“While Odisha utilises 13% of the Mahanadi water, Chhattisgarh gets only 4%,” said the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister.

He said the Mahanadi water dispute would be resolved if the Chief Ministers of both the states sit together.

He said the BJD government is creating it an issue unnecessarily to get political mileage in the panchayat elections.