BHUBANESWAR: The first meeting of the ministerial committee on Mahanadi river water dispute headed by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo was held on Tuesday.
Official sources said discussions were held on the background of the dispute and the present status of the proceedings before the Mahanadi River Water Disputes Tribunal. The process started by the state government after the BJP assumed office to resolve the dispute through talks with Chhattisgarh was discussed at the meeting.
Besides, the effect on the Hirakud dam because of reservoirs constructed by Chhattisgarh government on the upper catchment of the Mahanadi river was also examined. The committee also deliberated on the overall status of matters pertaining to the Mahanadi basin.
In a post on X, the deputy chief minister said the committee engaged in constructive deliberations to address the long-standing concerns of Odisha over the issue.
“The Mahanadi is a lifeline for millions and it is our collective duty to safeguard its flow with fairness and foresight for generations to come,” he said.
It was decided that the next meeting of the committee will be convened in January 2026 to further consolidate the position of Odisha and advance the process towards an amicable settlement of the Mahanadi water issues. As the next hearing of the Tribunal has been fixed on February 7, the committee is expected to submit report to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi recommending steps to be taken for resolution of the dispute after a final round of discussion with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
However, former minister and BJD leader Niranjan Pujari, who is an observer to the committee, held that bilateral negotiations are unlikely to succeed and the government should work to resolve the dispute through the Tribunal for a legally binding settlement, sources said.