Odisha Expects Final Roadmap to Resolve Mahanadi Water Dispute with Chhattisgarh Soon

New Delhi: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said a final roadmap for resolving the long-pending Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh is expected to emerge soon, keeping the interests of both states in view. However, no final settlement has been announced yet. The meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi, Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil. Discussions focused on finding a mutually acceptable way forward. After the meeting, Majhi described the discussions as positive and cordial. He said efforts are being made to find a solution through administrative and political dialogue alongside the ongoing legal process. Having double-engine governments in both states has helped accelerate the process, he added. The Chief Minister said the Mahanadi is crucial to the lives and livelihoods of millions in Odisha. The state depends on the river for irrigation, drinking water, flood management and hydropower generation. Odisha’s concerns and proposals on these issues were presented in the meeting. The latest talks are part of a continuing process. Discussions have taken place earlier at different levels between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The Central Water Commission (CWC) is also involved, and both states have submitted the necessary data and documents for the process. Majhi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their efforts towards resolving the dispute. He expressed hope that a successful settlement of the Mahanadi issue could serve as a “model dispute resolution” for other inter-state disputes in the future.