Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Thursday said he was optimistic that the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh would be resolved amicably within the next three months.
Majhi was speaking to reporters in New Delhi after a high-level meeting under the chairmanship of Union Water Resources Minister C R Patil, related to Mahanadi water distribution and management, which was also attended by Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Dev Sai.
“We had a cordial and positive discussion. I can tell you that Odisha’s interests would be protected and the dispute will be resolved through talks, mutual cooperation and coordination… within the next three months by Diwali,” he said.
“Initially, he (Sai) was reluctant to resolve the issue through negotiation, but later agreed to it and we sat for a discussion. I am very positive that the matter will be resolved,” Majhi said.
An official statement from the Odisha Chief Minister’s Office said the two CMs agreed to resolve the long-standing dispute over the sharing of Mahanadi water between the neighbouring states through “cooperation, coordination and constructive dialogue”.
Majhi stressed on determining a solution to the water sharing between the two states by giving utmost priority to the rights of Odisha, public interest, welfare of farmers and protection of the environment, it said.
“In this meeting, both the chief ministers expressed their views to find a permanent and satisfactory solution to the Mahanadi water issue through cooperation, coordination and constructive dialogue between the two states in a cordial atmosphere,” the statement said.
It was decided at the meeting that a committee headed by the Chairman of the Central Water Commission will submit its report to the Mahanadi Tribunal within three months on resolution of the dispute.
“In this meeting, our side has firmly presented Odisha’s position, giving utmost priority to the rights of the state, the future of our riparian communities, and the protection of the state’s water resources.
“We are committed to finding a permanent, fair, and satisfactory solution to the Mahanadi water issue through constructive discussions, mutual cooperation, and a friendly approach between the two states,” Majhi said in a post on X.
The water dispute between the two states has been continuing since over a decade, as Odisha alleged that the free flow of the river Mahanadi was blocked by construction of barrages and weirs in the upstream by Chhattisgarh to provide water to industries.
Chhattisgarh, on its part, claimed that the state takes its share of the river water and nothing more. It also alleged that Odisha failed to utilise the water available to it.
Subsequently, the central government formed the Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal in 2018.