The New Indian Express ·
Mahanadi Tribunal to review water availability, usage data on September 17
BHUBANESWAR: The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal is set to review on September 17 the progress made by its expanded technical committee, including the Central Water Commission (CWC), in examining water availability and utilisation data submitted by Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Sources said the tribunal will take stock of technical data and water requirement assessments filed by both states, which are currently being scrutinised by the committee. The panel has been tasked with independently assessing water availability in the Mahanadi basin, existing utilisation, storage capacities of major and medium projects, and the projected water demand of the two states.
The expanded technical committee was constituted following a July 31 meeting between Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and his Chhattisgarh counterpart Vishnu Deo Sai in New Delhi, in the presence of Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil.
The committee is also examining flow data from key gauging stations, including Hirakud and the impact of barrages and anicuts built by Chhattisgarh on downstream flows into Odisha. The two states are expected to inform the tribunal about the progress of political dialogue and technical-level discussions held since the previous hearing.
The tribunal had earlier asked the states to explore an out-of-court settlement through bilateral talks while continuing the technical examination of the dispute. The next hearing assumes significance as the tribunal’s extended tenure is set to end in January 2027.
Officials said the tribunal may assess whether to allow more time for reconciliation efforts or resume regular evidentiary proceedings and hearings on the merits to meet the deadline.
The dispute centres on the sharing of Mahanadi waters. Odisha has alleged that the construction of barrages, including the Kelo, Arpa-Bhainsajhar and Kalma projects in the upper catchment by Chhattisgarh, has reduced inflows into the Hirakud reservoir and downstream areas, affecting drinking water, irrigation and industrial requirements.
Chhattisgarh has maintained that its water utilisation is within its equitable share and that the projects are required to meet the state’s development needs.
With the technical committee’s report awaited, officials said its findings could play a crucial role in determining the interim and final allocation of Mahanadi waters between the two states.