The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal today expressed concern over the lack of concrete progress in negotiations between Odisha and Chhattisgarh, even as it directed both states to place substantial updates on record at the next hearing.
In its order passed on March 28, 2026, the Tribunal noted that although the Joint Technical Committees were expected to submit the status of ongoing talks, no such report was produced. The Advocate General of Odisha, Mr. Pitambar Acharya, submitted a Status Note on the progress of an amicable settlement, but the bench found “no substance or concrete progress” in it.
Senior Advocate A.K. Ganguli, appearing for Chhattisgarh, and Mr. Acharya assured the Tribunal that “concrete progress in the settlement talks which are being undertaken at the highest level of the States” would be presented on the next date of hearing.
The three-member bench, headed by Justice Bela M. Trivedi (Chairperson) and comprising Dr. Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Indermeet Kaur Kochhar, had recently undertaken site visits to Odisha (26.02.2026 to 02.03.2026) and Chhattisgarh (07.03.2026 to 11.03.2026). Describing the visits as “quite fruitful and educative,” the Tribunal directed the two Assessors and the Registrar to prepare separate factual reports within a week.
A joint application filed by both states seeking extension of the Tribunal’s tenure was forwarded to the Ministry of Jal Shakti on February 9, 2026, but the Ministry’s response is still awaited. With the current tenure expiring on April 13, 2026, the Tribunal has fixed the next hearing for April 11, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.
The long-standing dispute concerns equitable sharing of Mahanadi river waters, with Odisha alleging that upstream projects in Chhattisgarh are affecting downstream water availability for irrigation and other uses.
