Bhubaneswar, 21/09(PPT ):Technical teams from Odisha and Chhattisgarh are scheduled to meet on Sunday under the chairmanship of the Central Water Commission (CWC) to discuss the long-pending Mahanadi water-sharing dispute.
The meeting comes ahead of the next hearing of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal, scheduled for September 28. The two State teams have already held two rounds of discussions under the supervision of the CWC Chairman, with the ongoing consultations aimed at examining water availability and utilisation data and exploring a framework for sharing the river’s waters.
The latest round of talks assumes significance following the meeting between Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and his Chhattisgarh counterpart Vishnu Deo Sai in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. Mr Sai expressed hope that the long-standing dispute would be resolved soon and said both States had agreed to abide by the CWC’s decision.
The two Chief Ministers had earlier participated in a meeting chaired by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil in New Delhi on July 30 to facilitate an amicable settlement of the dispute through dialogue and technical cooperation. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the CWC and both State governments.
The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal had deferred its hearing to September 28 to allow the technical discussions to progress. The outcome of the CWC-led consultations is expected to be considered during the next stage of the tribunal proceedings.