Bhubaneswar: The Centre has extended the term of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal by nine months, till January 13, 2027.
According to reports, the tribunal, which was set to expire on April 13, 2026, will now have additional time to adjudicate the long-standing water-sharing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. A crucial hearing of the tribunal is scheduled for today. Odisha’s Advocate General, Pitambar Acharya, has reached Delhi to represent the state during the proceedings.
The Mahanadi water dispute has remained unresolved for years between the two neighbouring states. The tribunal was constituted in 2018 on the direction of the Supreme Court. So far, it has conducted 49 hearings and is now in its final stages. Both Odisha and Chhattisgarh have expressed hope for an amicable settlement through negotiations. In recent months, tribunal members visited the Mahanadi river basin in both states for on-ground assessment. The extension became necessary as the tribunal’s earlier tenure was ending on April 13, 2026, and the hearing process could not be completed within the limited time.
