Notification on Mahanadi tribunal by Nov 19: Centre to SC

Bhubaneswar: The Centre on Monday apprised the Supreme Court that it will issue notification for formation of a special tribunal by November 19 to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The apex court had earlier deferred hearing on the petition filed by Odisha government regarding the tribunal after the Centre sought four weeks to present data related to its formation.

On July 25, the Centre and both the states presented their sides in the court. The Centre also submitted affidavit stating that the draft for the tribunal has been prepared, but failed to produce the required data.

The Odisha government had requested the Centre to constitute an inter-state tribunal under Section 3 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, to resolve the water sharing dispute between the two states. It had also moved the apex court seeking a stay on construction of projects on the upstream of the Mahanadi by Chhattisgarh government.