Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader and MLA Prasanna Acharya Saturday warned that Odisha is heading for a crisis if the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh is not resolved quickly.
He raised the concern after Justice Bela M. Trivedi was appointed as the new chairperson of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal, warning that the river may become “extinct” before the tribunal delivers its final verdict.
Acharya emphasised that despite the tribunal being set up in 2018, no progress has been made, and Odisha continues to suffer from Chhattisgarh’s construction of dams and barrages that block the river’s flow.
He noted that with the appointment of the new chairperson, the tribunal will likely restart hearings, leading to further delays.
Acharya stressed that the disruption of the river’s water flow is harming Odisha’s agriculture and rural economy, particularly in over a dozen districts that depend on it.
He urged the BJP-led governments at the Centre, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh to resolve the issue swiftly.
In response, Odisha law minister and senior BJP leader Prithiviraj Harichandan blamed former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the ongoing dispute, accusing the previous BJD government of neglecting its duties.
Harichandan assured that the BJP government would protect Odisha’s interests and work with the Centre to resolve the issue.
The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal was established in 2018 by the Ministry of Water Resources following disputes over water distribution between the two states.
PTI
