Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, highlighting serious dissatisfaction expressed by Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal in its recent order and pressing for immediate steps to safeguard Odisha’s interests in the long-standing water-sharing dispute with Chhattisgarh.
In the letter, Patra referenced the tribunal’s April 20 order, where it expressed strong displeasure over the protracted pace of the proceedings. The tribunal has granted a final opportunity to the states to finalise the minutes of its April 8 meeting on annual water availability and place any consensus on disputed issues on record, during the next hearing scheduled for May 2 at 11 AM.
Patra requested the Chief Minister to immediately convene a high-level meeting involving senior officials from the Water Resources and Law Departments to review the matter and ensure Odisha’s position is presented decisively. He appended a copy of the tribunal’s order to his communication and emphasised that the Mahanadi River is the state’s “lifeline”, making robust representation critical.
WHAT DID THE TRIBUNAL SAY
In its order dated April 20, the Tribunal observed that the parties sought further time despite a joint submission by counsel for both states on April 11, indicating that the minutes of a technical meeting held on April 8 regarding annual water availability (in million acre feet) would be finalised by April 20.
The bench expressed dissatisfaction that no concrete proposals for amicable settlement or suggestions for recasting the disputed issues had been placed on record. “We are not very happy with the manner in which the Proceedings of these References are being conducted. The Proceedings are being adjourned at the requests of the Learned Advocates for the Parties on the ground that they are seriously considering the issues involved in the Proceedings for settlement, but we are constrained to observe that concrete proposal for settlement on any of the disputed issues has not been placed on record,” it noted.
However, in the larger public interest of both the states, the Tribunal granted one last opportunity to finalise the minutes of the meeting by the next date of hearing. “We make it clear that if they are not able to finalise the same or place on record any consensus on any of the issues by the next date, the Tribunal shall proceed with the Proceedings on merits,” it noted.
This development comes after the Centre recently extended the Tribunal’s tenure by nine months till January 2027 to allow completion of the adjudication process. The extension, effective from April 14, 2026, provides additional time for hearings, technical evaluations, and potential resolution of the dispute, which dates back years and led to the tribunal’s formation in 2018 under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act.
The dispute centres on the equitable sharing and management of Mahanadi River waters, which originates in Chhattisgarh and flows through Odisha. Odisha has long raised concerns over upstream projects in Chhattisgarh potentially affecting downstream water availability for irrigation and other uses. Despite earlier indications of willingness for an amicable solution, including technical meetings and site visits by the tribunal, the lack of tangible progress has drawn criticism.
