346 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
My Department has shown this letter to Finance Department who agree with it.
Yours Sincerely, B. R. Ambedkar Member Labour February 1946’’ [1]
His Excellency
the Right Honourable Viscount Wavell.
Dr. Ambedkar’s this letter was in response to following letter by Viceroy Viscount WAVELL.
The Viceroy’s House
20th January 1946
Dear Dr. Ambedkar,
It is very satisfactory that Madras and Orissa have been able to come to terms about the Machkund case. I have telegraphed to both the Governors asking them to see that the agreement is confirmed as soon as possible.
I understand from Menon that in the course of negotiations the desirability of making an early start with the Mahanadi scheme by the contruction of a dam at Sambalpur was mentioned. Orissa is a very poor and backward Province, and if it is technically sound to construct the Sambalpur Dam—a point on which I think we should be able to satisfy ourselves at once—I hope we shall be able, subject to Rowlands agreement, to go ahead almost immediately. You know my interest in water control and irrigation, and I should like to be kept in touch with progress. Perhaps we could aim at a decision early enough (if we decided to go ahead) to enable Lewis to lay the foundation stone before he hands over charge on the 31st March.
Yours sincerely, Wavell
The Hon’ble Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
1 Thorat, Pp 172-174.