BHUBANESWAR: The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal on Saturday asked Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments to hold another round of talks to arrive at an amicable solution over sharing of water from the river. The Tribunal was scheduled to give its verdict on Saturday, but deferred the date to March 30.
The three-member bench of the Tribunal, Chairperson Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice Ravi Ranjan and Justice Indermit Kaur directed the advocate generals of both the states to resolve the issue and submit a report before March 30.
The Tribunal, had on February 9, directed the two governments to amicably resolve the water-sharing dispute. While hearing the interim application of Odisha Government, the Tribunal had directed both states to file a written submission in two weeks. The bench had made it clear that if the two states do not arrive at a solution, it will announce its final judgment at the next hearing on March 9.
Officials of the two states held two inconclusive meetings on February 25 and 26, which were held as per the directive of the Tribunal. In its interim application to the Tribunal, Odisha Government had demanded the release of 1.74 million acre-feet of water by Chhattisgarh during the non-monsoon season.
In its affidavit, Odisha Government had maintained that as per the tripartite agreement on Mahanadi water-sharing between Odisha, Chhattisgarh and the Centre, Chhattisgarh should release 1.74 million acre-feet of water to Odisha during the non-monsoon season. But till January 1, this year Chhattisgarh had blocked 2.76 million acre-feet water through six barrages it built on the upstream of Mahanadi.