Mahanadi Dispute: Tribunal Directs Odisha, Chhattisgarh to Submit Joint Survey Report by Nov 30

Bhubaneswar: The Mahanadi River Water Disputes Tribunal today asked the governments of Odisha and Chhattisgarh to submit a joint survey report by November 30.

Both the states have been directed to send their expert teams to each other’s states for assessment of the projects being developed on Mahanadi River.

As per sources, a technical team from Odisha will visit the neighboring state between October 30 and November 2, while the team from Chhattisgarh will visit Odisha between November 17 and November 19.

On March 12, 2018, the Centre had constituted the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal according to the provisions of the Inter-State River Water Dispute Act, 1956 following the directive of the Supreme Court on January 23.

The Odisha Government had moved the Supreme Court challenging the unilateral construction of barrages by Chhattisgarh Government in Mahanadi. After the apex court’s direction, the Centre constituted the tribunal.

On April 17, the Centre had shared the terms of reference (ToR) with its chairman and Supreme Court judge Justice AM Khanwilkar. The tribunal has two other members– Justice Ravi Ranjan, Judge of the Patna high court and Justice Indermeet Kaur Kochhar, Judge of the Delhi high court.