C.R. Paatil Chairs Mahanadi Water Dispute Talks

• Centre convenes high-level meeting on Mahanadi water-sharing dispute.
• Odisha and Chhattisgarh reaffirm commitment to technical consultations.
• Government highlights progress made by Joint Technical Committee.
• Paatil calls for long-term, equitable and sustainable basin management.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 30th July: The Centre on Thursday took another step towards resolving the Mahanadi Water Dispute, with Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil chairing a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh and Odisha to facilitate an amicable settlement through dialogue and technical cooperation.

The meeting was attended by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, senior officials of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Central Water Commission (CWC) and representatives of both state governments.

Describing the meeting as an important milestone, the Ministry said the discussions were aimed at advancing a mutually acceptable solution based on cooperative federalism, technical consultations and sustained dialogue.

The Centre noted that the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) was constituted on March 12, 2018, under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, following Odisha’s request, and that its tenure had been extended to allow all stakeholders adequate opportunity to present their views.

According to the Ministry, both states have recently shown renewed willingness to pursue an amicable resolution through mutual cooperation and technical engagement.

The meeting also reviewed the progress made by the Joint Technical Committee, which has achieved consensus on several technical issues. It noted that the expanded Technical Committee, chaired by the Chairman of the Central Water Commission and comprising representatives from both states, held its first meeting on July 29 to take forward the remaining technical consultations.

Addressing the meeting, Paatil described the Mahanadi as the lifeline of millions of people in Odisha and Chhattisgarh and stressed that dialogue, mutual trust and technical cooperation remain the most effective means of achieving an equitable and sustainable solution.

The Union Minister also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for promoting consensus-based resolution of inter-state water disputes. He cited recent agreements on the Yamuna Water Project, progress in implementing the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award, and consensus on the Modified Parbati–Kalisindh–Chambal (MPKC) Link Project as examples of successful cooperative federalism.

Both Chief Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to continuing technical consultations in a constructive manner and appreciated the facilitation provided by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Central Water Commission.

Concluding the meeting, Paatil said the objective was not only to resolve the present dispute but also to establish a long-term, equitable and sustainable framework for managing the Mahanadi Basin, expressing confidence that continued engagement between the two states would lead to a lasting settlement.