Jharsuguda: A ten-member team of Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) arrived on a five-day visit to Odisha on Thursday, marking a major step in the process of adjudication of the long-standing dispute.
Led by Tribunal Chairperson Justice Bela M Trivedi, the team also includes Justice Ravi Ranjan. Soon after landing at Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda, the team members proceeded to Sambalpur by road, where discussions related to the Mahanadi River water dispute are scheduled to be held.
It may be noted that the tribunal’s tenure is slated to end on April 13 and the Centre has been urged to further extend its term.
As per sources, the tribunal will view a presentation on the Hirakud dam and other spots of Odisha including part of the Mahanadi River basin on Friday. The team will also visit the Burla
and Chiplima powerhouses the same day. It will visit the Hirakud command area on the way to Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary.
On March 1, the team members are slated to offer prayers at the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar and Shree Jagannath temple in Puri. Thereafter, they will visit the Kushabhadra confluence at Ramchandi near Konark. On the last day of its visit on March 2, the team will travel to Satapada jetty and visit Chilika Lake and the sea mouth before returning to Bhubaneswar.
Before the tribunal team’s arrival, Mahanadi Bachao Andolan (MBA) raised questions over its effectiveness without any high-level official engagement even as uncertainty looms over extension of its tenure. MBA convenor Sudarsan Das demanded an interim award from the tribunal to ensure release of adequate water into Mahanadi during non-monsoon season. He also raised concerns about the ability of the tribunal to complete the hearings and issue a final order which will protect the interest of Odisha and its people.
Notably, the BJP government is exploring an amicable settlement with Chhattisgarh on the long-standing water dispute, sparking fear among the Opposition that the state might abandon the legal fight to protect its water rights.