The Mahanadi river is a major source of water for both Odisha and Chhattisgarh, and the dispute between the two states has been ongoing for several years. The extension of the tribunal’s tenure is seen as a positive development by many, as it provides more time to resolve the dispute through a peaceful and legal means.
After the request of the Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments, the central government has extended the tenure of the Mahanadi River Water Disputes Tribunal for another 21 months, i.e., until December 24, 2024.
Mahanadi River Water Tribunal’s Tenure Extended by Two Years but Dispute Remains Unresolved
The Mahanadi River Water Tribunal was constituted on March 12, 2018, with a 3-year tenure. It was then constituted to resolve the river water-sharing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Also, the tribunal’s term was extended by two years. The tenure expired on March 11, 2024. However, there was not much progress in resolving the dispute between the parties during this 5-year tenure.
While the two states have successfully obtained the extension of the tenure before, the center’s decision to give more time than a year and a half has raised the question of whether the dispute can be solved between the states in such a short period.
In the assembly on Tuesday, the ruling BJD accused Chhattisgarh of arbitrarily stopping the flow of the Mahanadi River during a famine. BJD demanded that we discuss the issue in the house. Bikram Keshari Arukha, the speaker, directed the state government to give a statement regarding this issue in the house.
The BJD vice president spoke to the media. In the interview, he stated that there is a need for an interim order to provide the state with adequate water while the matter is pending before the tribunal. He added that the Chhattisgarh government should be pressured to release water and ensure that Odisha gets an equal share of the Mahanadi River’s water.
The opposition leader, Jaynarayan Mishra, and the Congress legislature party bashed the BJD for not taking any action to resolve the issue.
A ruckus was seen in the assembly over the Mahanadi issue on March 23, for which the session was adjourned till 4 p.m.
The previous BJP government in Chhattisgarh was accused by BJD leaders of building check dams on the upper catchment area, which they claimed caused issues for Odisha because the neighboring state releases excess water during the monsoons, leading to floods, and stops water flow in the summers, resulting in hardship for people. As soon as the House came together for Question Hour, the matter was brought up in the Assembly.
The BJP legislators later joined the Congress MLAs in advocating for a discussion of the Mahanadi water dispute through a special motion by halting the Question Hour after the Congress MLAs initially flooded the Assembly Well.
Speaker B.K. Arukha pleaded with the irate members to settle down, but they refused.
The Speaker added that unless the Appropriations Bill was approved, no discussion through a special motion could take place in the House.
You senior members should remember that the House cannot address anything through a special motion while the Appropriations Bill is still being debated. The Speaker told the opposition members to take their seats again, adding that it might be taken into consideration after the Appropriations Bill was passed.
The proceeding was postponed until 4 p.m. by the Speaker because there was no impact. The House was unable to conduct any business and only met in the pre-lunch session for six minutes.
According to Jaynarayan Mishra, the leader of the opposition, lawmakers from the ruling party brought up the Mahanadi water dispute on Wednesday. By means of a specific motion, we demand that the subject be discussed. As a result, our members demanded as much, but the administration refused to have the special discussion.
