New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) The Centre has told the SupremeCourt that the ongoing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarhover the Mahanadi river should be sorted out throughnegotiations between the concerned parties.
The Centre has also alleged that Odisha was notparticipating in the meetings relating to the issue and hasnot provided the requisite details, a lawyer representing oneof the parties in the case said.
Another advocate representing Odisha in the case saidthat a written statement was filed yesterday by the Centre inthe top court.
The lawyer said the Centre has told the court that theywere in the process of finalising a bill to constitute acomposite tribunal which would deal with all the inter-stateriver water disputes in the country.
The Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill2017 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of WaterResources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bhartion March 14, 2017.
The Bill proposes to set up an Inter-State River WaterDisputes Tribunal, for adjudication of water disputes, if adispute is not resolved through the Disputes ResolutionCommittee.
The counsel said that the government has also told theapex court that the Mahanadi dispute should be resolvedthrough discussion between the parties.
The Centre had in October told the apex court that itwould take a decision on issuing a notification with regard tothe dispute.
The Odisha government had moved the court in Decemberlast year seeking an order asking Chhattisgarh to stop itsconstruction work in projects on the upstream of Mahanadi.
Odisha has been opposing Chhattisgarh's plans to build 13barrages and seven pick up weirs (small dams) across theMahanadi, in a plan to extract more water. Odisha has saidthis would adversely affect the interests of its farmers. PTIABA SJK RKSARC.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.