Bhubaneswar: The central government has extended the tenure of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal by nine months till January 13 next year, providing much-needed time to resolve issues related to the sharing of river water between Odisha and Chhattisgarh, an official said Saturday.
The Centre’s decision was notified by the Ministry of Jal Shakti Friday, he said.
The tribunal’s current tenure was supposed to end April 13.
The decision was taken after the governments of Odisha and Chhattisgarh made a joint request to the Centre to ensure that the adjudication process is completed effectively, the official said.
Both states had urged the Centre that there is a need to extend the tenure of the tribunal, as no activity was conducted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the absence of a permanent chairperson of the panel for nine months.
“This extension of the tribunal period will help the authorities continue hearing and prevent the expiry of the panel without a final resolution,” the senior official said.
The tribunal was constituted in 2018 after the Odisha government alleged that the neighbouring Chhattisgarh prevented the free flow of water in the downstream by setting up several barrages in the upstream of the Mahanadi river.
“The central government extends the period of submission of report and decision by Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal for a period of nine months with effect from the 14th April, 2026, that is, on or before the 13th January, 2027, or till the submission of report…,” the notification said.
Tribunal members have undertaken a field visit to the Mahanadi river-linked areas in both Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
While the legal aspects are being heard in the tribunal, both the state governments have also engaged in negotiation with an aim to resolve the disputes amicably, for which several rounds of talks have been held, another official said.