Odisha, Chhattisgarh make headway towards resolving Mahanadi River water dispute

The Odisha government on Saturday (August 30, 2025) said an important headway had been made towards resolving the Mahanadi river water dispute with Chhattisgarh.

“The Chief Secretaries of Odisha and Chhattisgarh, along with senior water resources officials met to deliberate on the Mahanadi water issue. Both States agreed to work sincerely and amicably towards a mutually beneficial resolution through dialogue and cooperation,” Odisha Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement.

“It was agreed that technical committees headed by the Engineers-in-chief of both States will meet weekly in September to identify and resolve critical issues. The committees will also discuss creation of an institutional framework for stronger coordination on Mahanadi water sharing,” the CMO said.

While a meeting at the level of Chief Secretaries, along with the Secretaries of Water Resources of both States, will be organised in October to review progress and take forward the discussions, Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh might meet by December.

The proposed meeting will take stock of the progress and explore an amicable, long-term resolution to the Mahanadi water dispute in the interest of people of both States, the CMO said.

The two States recently informed the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Bela M. Trivedi that they were exploring possibilities of amicable solution to the problem. The MWDT is scheduled to hear the matter on September 6.

In a letter addressed to his Chhattisgarh counterpart, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi on July 25 had proposed that under the guidance of Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, a joint committee of both the States led by the Central Water Commission (CWC) may be established.

“This committee would comprise of senior technical officials from both Odisha and Chhattisgarh and aim to facilitate sustained dialogue and technical negotiations to reach a mutually beneficial settlement,” he mooted.

The Mahanadi River, often described as the lifeline of Odisha, originates from the Amarkantak hills in the Bastar Plateau of Chhattisgarh. It flows for 851km, of which 494km lie within Odisha, before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Along its course, the river is fed by numerous tributaries, branches and sub-branches, sustaining human settlements, ecosystems, and various water-dependent needs.

Following its formation as a separate State, Chhattisgarh began constructing a significant number of major, medium, and minor irrigation projects, including anicuts and industrial barrages, without consulting Odisha. It is important to note that there is no formal inter-State water-sharing agreement between the two States.

Over time, Odisha observed a considerable decline in the flow of Mahanadi waters entering its territory, attributing this to Chhattisgarh’s extensive upstream construction and increased water usage. According to the Odisha government, Chhattisgarh has built more than 500 anicuts and 30 barrages, many primarily for industrial use.