BHUBANESWAR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday said the Mahanadi water-sharing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh was no longer a major issue and expressed confidence that it would be resolved soon.
Sai, who arrived in Odisha on a two-day private visit with his family, said discussions on the issue had already been held in Delhi and that both states had agreed to accept whatever decision the Central Water Commission (CWC) took in the interest of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
“There is no longer any major dispute over Mahanadi water between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Both states have BJP governments and there is a BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. The issue is expected to be resolved soon,” Sai told reporters after arriving at Biju Patnaik International Airport here.
He said the two states had held discussions on the issue in Delhi and agreed that any decision taken by the CWC in the interest of both states would be acceptable to them. The two chief ministers have held several rounds of discussions on the water dispute over the past two years. Sai later met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at the latter’s official residence. Majhi said the two leaders had a “fruitful interaction” on bolstering cooperation between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
“Today, I had the pleasure of receiving Hon’ble Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai Ji, at my residence. We had a fruitful interaction on strengthening cooperation between Odisha and Chhattisgarh and advancing our shared commitment towards the development and welfare of our people,” Majhi said in a post on X.
Sai also described the meeting as a discussion on mutual cooperation, development and public welfare. He said the two states were committed to giving a new momentum to their cooperation and working towards the overall development of the region.
During his visit, Sai is scheduled to visit Puri and offer prayers at the Sri Jagannath Temple. He said he would pray for the well-being of the people of Chhattisgarh.
The two had met in New Delhi on July 30 this year in the presence of Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil to negotiate terms for an amicable resolution to the dispute. Prior to the July meeting, the two chief ministers had also interacted on the sidelines of the All India Water Ministers’ Conference in Rajasthan and the World Water Day celebrations in February 2025.
