Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: A fresh push towards resolving the long-standing Mahanadi water dispute is likely with the chief ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh scheduled to meet on October 1 under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Odisha Advocate General Pitambar Acharya said on Monday.
Acharya said the meeting would seek to advance discussions between the two neighbouring states on the sharing of Mahanadi waters and expressed hope that a mutually acceptable solution could emerge soon.
According to the Advocate General, the Secretary of the Central Water Commission (CWC) has submitted details of the last two meetings to the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal in accordance with its directions. The tribunal has taken the details on record, he said.
“A meeting of the two chief ministers will be held under the chairmanship of the Union Home Minister. A path towards resolving the dispute through mutual understanding is emerging,” Acharya said.
He added that Odisha had maintained from the beginning that the issue could be resolved through mutual understanding and expressed optimism about a positive outcome soon.
The development comes around 10 days after Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai visited Odisha and met his counterpart Mohan Charan Majhi on September 20. The two chief ministers held discussions for over an hour.
After the meeting, Sai had said there was no major problem between the two states over Mahanadi waters and expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved soon.
He had also said that the chief ministers and officials of Odisha and Chhattisgarh had earlier held discussions in Delhi and agreed to accept the CWC’s recommendations if they were beneficial to both states.
The Mahanadi water-sharing issue has remained a contentious matter between Odisha and Chhattisgarh, with the dispute pending before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal.
