BHUBANESWAR: The Mahanadi Banchao Jivika Banchao Andolan today demanded that the Centre should withdraw the negotiation committee constituted by it to resolve the Mahanadi river water dispute
and set up a fact-finding committee headed by a judge of the Supreme Court which can help hearing in the tribunal which should set up to sort out the matter.
The fact-finding committee should include experts and technocrats who have worked in Mahanadi river basin management, representatives of civil society and social scientists, member of the
Andolan former union minister Braja Kishore Tripathy, former finance minister Panchanan Kanungo, convenor Sudharshan Chhotray and other members told a media conference here.
Stating that a tribunal is the only option left under the Inter State River Water Dispute Act, 1956 to solve this longstanding water sharing issue between the two neighbouring states, the Andolan
members demanded that the Centre should immediately recommend the Supreme Court to constitute a tribunal.
The Andolan demanded that a comprehensive water policy should be formulated by the state government to ensure people's rights. Besides, a National Commission for water should be constituted to
solve all water sharing conflicts and disputes, they said and demanded that commercialisation and commoditisation of water should be stopped.