Kendrapara: Residents of Kendrapara district have expressed growing concern over the unresolved Mahanadi river water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh, fearing its adverse impact on agriculture and drinking water supply in the region.
The long-pending issue, currently before a tribunal, remains unresolved despite years of deliberations. Recently, activists from organisations such as the Mahanadi Banchao Andolan, Daya Suraksha Abhiyan, Chilika Banchao Andolan, and Nadi Suraksha Samiti submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, urging for immediate intervention in February.
They also sought the Prime Minister’s involvement in the interstate dispute. Locals allege that dam construction in Chhattisgarh has already affected water flow downstream. Local intellgentsia Ganesh Chandra Samal highlighted that the Mahanadi’s flow through Kendrapara, from Mahanangala under Mahakalapara block to Gadaromita, spans just 10 km.
Tributaries like the Chitrotpala, Luna, Paika, and Birupa rivers rely heavily on Mahanadi’s flow. The Chitrotpala canal system, including the Gobari, Pattamundai, and Jobra extension canals, irrigates over 41,681 hectares. Moreover, the people of Rajnagar, Mahakalapara, and Kendrapara town depend on the river for potable water.
Two mega drinking water projects and the proposed national riverine port near Akhadashali further underscore the district’s reliance on the river. Any upstream reduction in flow, residents warn, would significantly affect the region’s ecological and economic stability. Former councillor Hiranya Kumar Panda has alleged that the Chhattisgarh government is unilaterally exploiting the Mahanadi river’s water, posing a serious threat to Odisha’s agriculture, drinking water supply and power generation.
Panda warned that the construction of multiple barrages in Chhattisgarh will directly impact various developmental projects, including the proposed Akhadashali port. “In a federal structure, interstate disputes are undesirable. All political parties must unite to safeguard the state’s interests,” he urged. Echoing similar concerns, Sheikh Fazrul Haque, chairman of the Patkura Anchalik Vikash Committee said that Chitrotpala river has originated from Mahanadi at Gualinasi in Cuttack district and flows about 36 km from Mohammedpur to Kuanrpur in Kendrapara district, sustains farming activities and the daily needs of local residents.
“The river is vital for irrigation, domestic use and even religious practices. If the Mahanadi’s water flow reduces, Chitrotpala will dry up, leading to widespread disruption,” Haque stated. Farmers’ leader Bijay Kumar Parida emphasised the need for an urgent resolution to the dispute.
“Any delay will severely impact Kendrapara’s agriculture, drinking water supply, and environment. Several rivers and canals depend on the Mahanadi’s flow. If that stops, the region could face salinisation,” he cautioned. Parida appealed to all political parties, along with local educators and intellectuals, to rise above politics and speak in unison for Odisha’s water rights.
PNN
