Union home minister Amit Shah will chair a meeting in Delhi on Thursday to discuss the decade-long dispute of Mahanadi River between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Chattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said he will be a part of the meeting and that both the states had decided that they will comply to the decision taken by the Central Water Commission (CWC) in the matter.
"Today, I am going on a visit to Delhi. There has been a water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh for so many years, so today we will hold a meeting under the chairmanship of the Union Home Minister," news agency ANI quoted Sai as saying.
He also said that him and his Odisha counterpart also informed the CWC that they are ready to agree to the panel's decision, given that both the states are now being governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
"Now that there is a BJP government in both states, the Chief Ministers have written to the CWC that whatever decision the CWC takes in the interest of our states, we both will accept," Sai said.
What is the Mahanadi water dispute?
Mahanadi water dispute has been a long standing issue over water sharing and management of the river between Odisha and Chhattisgarh for over a decade now. Earlier, the matter was being heard by the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal but was later referred to the Central Water Commission (CWC).
{{/usCountry}}Mahanadi water dispute has been a long standing issue over water sharing and management of the river between Odisha and Chhattisgarh for over a decade now. Earlier, the matter was being heard by the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal but was later referred to the Central Water Commission (CWC).
{{/usCountry}}Odisha has, for years, objected to the construction of barrages by Chhattisgarh in the upstream areas and maintained that these structures affect the flow of water into the downstream areas, particularly during the lean season.
In 2016, Odisha approached the Union water resources ministry and raised objections to the construction of six barrages in Chhattisgarh for industrial purposes and alleging reduced downstream flow during the non-monsoon period.
In 2018, the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted to hear the matter after Odisha filed a suit in the Supreme Court.
The dispute came to light again recently after both the states expressed willingness to resolve it amicably through dialogue and technical consultations.
On July 30, the Centre facilitated a meeting between chief ministers of both the states, chaired by Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil, as part of efforts to find a mutually acceptable solution to the dispute.
The Mahanadi is considered the lifeline of Chhattisgarh, with around 78% of the state’s population living in its basin. The state is also part of the basins of five major rivers — Mahanadi, Godavari, Ganga, Brahmani and Narmada.
(With inputs from Ritesh Mishra)