PRIVATE (LTD)

A controversial plan to sell water from the Sheonath river

- SOPAN JOSHI

AJIT JOGI, chief minister of Chhattisgarh, has announced an enquiry into the legality of India's first private project to supply water to industry from the Sheonath river. He said the agreement signed by the Madhya Pradesh (MP) government before creation of the new state will not be allowed to compromise the interests of Chhattisgarh if the enquiry gives it an adverse report card. But non-governmental organisations (NGOs) opposing the project are sceptical. "The state government favours private investment in the water sector, so there is no reason to expect much from the enquiry," says Gautam Bandopadhyay of the Nadi Ghati Sangharsh Morcha, which runs people's campaigns in 10 river basins in the region.