BHUBANESWAR: The state government intends to raise objection to Chhattisgarh 's plan to build a new barrage over the Mahanadi when their representatives meet at the first regional conference of eastern states on river water in Kolkata on Monday.Food supplies minister Surya Narayan Patro, who would be representing the state at the meeting convened by the Union ministry of water resources, said they would also raise the issue of the Centre delaying the tribunal process by not sharing the terms of reference (ToR) with Odisha . The state government said it is yet to receive the ToR for the tribunal and hence has been unable to file the petition."Despite the National Green Tribunal 's order to Chhattisgarh not to go ahead with any new project over the Mahanadi, it has started the tendering process for another barrage. The move would result in severe water crisis in Odisha. We would be opposing the project at the river meet," said Patro. The Chhattisgarh government initiated the tendering process for the barrage on November 17 last year. The project is likely to be developed at a cost of Rs 176 crore.While Odisha has already lodged its protest against the new project before the Chhattisgarh government and the Centre, it also slammed the Centre in the assembly for delaying the Mahanadi tribunal process.Sources in the water resources department said Odisha would oppose, if either Chhattisgarh or the Centre would propose any discussion on the Mahanadi issue at the meeting over previously discussed issues. "Since the Supreme Court has already referred the matter to a tribunal, we would only put forth our points on the Mahanadi dispute in the tribunal only. Hence, we would demand the Centre to immediately issue the ToR so that we can file our petition soon," said a senior official of the department."Since Odisha has some issues with Jharkhand over Subarnarekha river, we would raise that in the meeting too and also reiterate our stand on the Polavaram project by Andhra Pradesh government," Patro said.

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