New Delhi: In a fresh bid to resolve the long-standing dispute over sharing of Mahanadi river water, the Chief Secretaries of Chhattisgarh and Odisha met in the national capital on Saturday and agreed to work towards an amicable solution in the interest of people of both states.
The meeting, attended by the Chief Secretaries and Water Resource Secretaries of the two states, sought to break the deadlock through dialogue.
Officials acknowledged that the Mahanadi dispute is “old and complex”, but stressed the need for a cooperative approach to arrive at a mutually beneficial resolution.
As part of the roadmap, it was decided that technical committees comprising engineers and experts from both states will meet weekly from September 2025. These committees will examine key concerns, explore solutions, and work on creating a structured framework for better coordination.
The two sides also agreed to hold the next Chief Secretaries’ meeting in October, with the participation of Water Resource Secretaries. If progress is satisfactory, the process may culminate in a meeting of the Chief Ministers by December to chart the way forward.
Both states reiterated their commitment to approaching the talks with sincerity, openness, and cooperation. Officials expressed hope that if successful, this initiative could not only benefit millions of people in Odisha and Chhattisgarh but also serve as a model for resolving inter-state river disputes in India.
