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Mahanadi Water Dispute Between Odisha and Chhattisgarh Resurfaces
Developing
In Short: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil in New Delhi to discuss the Mahanadi water dispute.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil in New Delhi to discuss the Mahanadi water dispute.
Majhi stated that a framework for resolving the dispute would be released 'very soon' and that the two states are moving closer to a resolution.
Majhi emphasized that the Mahanadi is the 'lifeline' of Odisha and stressed the state's demand for an adequate share of the river's water.
The BJP government in Odisha is seeking to contrast its approach with that of the previous BJD government, which initiated the legal process in 2016.
The BJP argues that the BJD government did not want the dispute to be settled and instead wanted to make it a political issue.
Majhi highlighted the 'triple engine' dispensation, involving BJP governments in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and at the Centre, as a key factor in resolving the dispute.
Odisha contends that proposed projects in Chhattisgarh would reduce downstream flows, particularly during the non-monsoon period.
The Mahanadi is central to Odisha's irrigation, drinking water, flood management, hydropower, and broader negotiations with Chhattisgarh and the Centre.
What this adds
The BJP's efforts to resolve the dispute have accelerated since coming to power in Odisha in June 2024, despite the dispute remaining pending before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal.
What's still developing
- “We are gradually moving closer to a resolution. Alongside the legal process, administrative and political resolution pathways have also been expanded. A path to a resolution will be found keeping the interests of both states in mind. This resolution will serve as a model dispute resolution mechanism for other states too,” Majhi said.
- “It was provisionally decided in that meeting to find a path to a resolution within three months. Two months have passed in the meantime and there has been satisfactory progress,” Majhi said.
- “Since there is a triple-engine government, the possibility of resolving the Mahanadi water dispute had increased. However, no urgency was seen towards resolving the issue. There has been no clarity as to whether the dispute will be resolved through a tribunal or through mutual discussions,” Sahoo said.
- The BJP, which had favoured an amicable settlement while in Opposition in Odisha, has accelerated such efforts since coming to power in the state in June 2024, even as the dispute remains pending before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal.