BHUBANESWAR: An official delegation from Chhattisgarh will visit Odisha on May 23 for another round of discussions for resolving the sticking points of Mahanadi water sharing dispute between the two riparian states.
Informing about the development, deputy chief minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, who is heading the all-party committee constituted to address the long-pending Mahanadi water dispute, expressed optimism over a negotiated settlement outside the formal adjudication process of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal.
Singh Deo said the current government in Chhattisgarh had shown greater willingness for dialogue compared to the previous Congress regime. “Never before had the earlier Congress government in Chhattisgarh shown such seriousness towards a negotiated settlement of the issue,” he said adding, both states were now moving towards a constructive engagement process.
Water Resources department principal secretary Shubha Sarma on Saturday gave an update to the deputy chief minister on the development in discussions held so far between the two states and progress made at various institutional levels.
The renewed engagements assumed significance amid efforts of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to revive dialogue alongside the tribunal process in order to secure Odisha’s water interests through consensus and scientific assessment.
Advocate general Pitambar Acharya also indicated that the dispute was gradually moving towards resolution. “The Mahanadi water dispute is no longer as complicated as before and efforts are being made to arrive at a solution while protecting Odisha’s interests,” Acharya said.
He said that detailed data-based reports concerning the river’s water availability and usage had already have been placed before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal after nearly 15 rounds of meetings and consultations. “No water dispute in the country has ever been fully resolved through a tribunal alone. Mutual understanding and negotiated settlement remain the only practical way forward,” he said.
Acharya maintained that the government will not compromise on the state’s legitimate share of water even if some adjustments were required during negotiations. He further said that although court proceedings had seen little movement during the last seven years, recent developments had created a positive atmosphere.
“The tribunal has accepted proposals from both states and discussions are progressing in the right direction,” he added.