Mahanadi Dispute: A River of Contentions and Potential Resolutions

The all-party high-level committee addressed the Mahanadi River water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Despite striving for a negotiated solution, the committee remains committed to the legal proceedings. Members, including key ministers and MLAs, are focused on safeguarding Odisha's interests, stressing transparency and stakeholder engagement.

A high-level committee has convened to address the longstanding Mahanadi River water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Chaired by Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo, the meeting gathered prominent governmental figures, emphasizing an amicable resolution while simultaneously reinforcing legal actions.

The committee, comprising eight members including deputy ministers and MLAs across various parties, underscored the need for negotiation. Singh Deo called for transparent communication with stakeholders and the public, emphasizing that river negotiations rarely resolve outside courtrooms.

The Mahanadi, essential to Odisha's irrigation, drinking, and industrial needs, remains a pivotal concern. Odisha and Chhattisgarh's ongoing dispute points to upstream barricades disturbing water flow, a matter pending in the Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal since 2018. The next committee meeting will occur in January 2026.

(With inputs from agencies.)