A significant development has emerged in the long-pending Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
During the latest hearing before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal, the panel directed both states to engage in mutual discussions to explore a settlement, with the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti asked to mediate.
Speaking after the hearing, Advocate General Pitambar Acharya said, “The Tribunal has advised both states to hold conciliatory talks. The CWC and the Ministry of Jal Shakti will act as mediators. There is a strong possibility that a formula for resolution will emerge within two months.”
The Tribunal’s move marks a turning point in the decades-old dispute over the sharing of Mahanadi river waters, which has often led to political and administrative friction between the two states. The next hearing has been scheduled for August 21, where progress on the mediation efforts will be reviewed.
Legal experts view the Tribunal’s directive as a constructive step toward a negotiated settlement, potentially ending years of litigation and paving the way for cooperative water management between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
