New Delhi: The BJD today demanded setting up of a tribunal to settle the dispute over construction of a dam by Andhra Pradesh on a river flowing in from Orissa.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, BJD's B K Tripathy accused the Andhra Pradesh government of "trying to change the course" of the Mahendra Tanaya river by constructing a weir without consulting the Orissa government or the Central Water Commission.

This led to angry exchanges between the BJD and Congress members over the issue.

Demanding the setting up of a tribunal to settle the dispute, Tripathy said the dam would adversly affect the people of the naxal-infested Gajapati district who would be left with minimal water for drinking as well as irrigation.

Tripathy also sought the intervention of the Prime Minister in the matter, saying the project would affect a large number of people as land would be submerged. Mahendra Tanaya is a tributary of the Vamsadhara river.

Countering his contention, Congress member K S Rao said the Andhra Pradesh government was "not crossing its limit" and the state would be using only 300 TMC of water as against 3,600 TMC which was flowing into the seas.
Source : PTI