Mahanadi Water Dispute
Recent developments have brought hope to the decade-old Mahanadi river water-sharing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Both states have expressed willingness to resolve the issue through negotiations. The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal has granted additional time for talks and scheduled the next hearing for September 6, 2025. This marks shift from prolonged legal battles to political dialogue.
Background
The dispute centres on water sharing from the Mahanadi river, which flows from Chhattisgarh to Odisha. Odisha alleges that Chhattisgarh’s construction of upstream dams and barrages restricts water flow. This affects agriculture and livelihoods in Odisha’s lower basin, especially outside the monsoon season. The conflict has persisted for nearly ten years with limited progress.
Legal Proceedings
Odisha approached the Supreme Court in 2016 seeking a tribunal under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. The Centre formed the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal in 2018. The tribunal’s work involved data submissions, inspections, and hearings. However, progress has been slow, with only one witness examined by 2024 and many issues unresolved.
About Mahanadi River
- Mahanadi is a prominent eastward-flowing river in peninsular India
- Renowned for its heavy silt load, frequent historical floods, and its agricultural significance.
- Name derived from Sanskrit: “Maha” = Great, “Nadi” = River → “Great River”.
- States Covered by the River Basin are
- Chhattisgarh – Covers the upper and middle basin
- Odisha – Hosts the lower basin and delta
- Marginal regions: Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh
- Total Length: Around 900 km
- Source and Course
- Origin: Near Pharsiya village, Nagri Sihawa Hills, Dhamtari district, Chhattisgarh
- Drains into: Bay of Bengal near Paradip, Odisha, through a network of distributaries
- Drainage Basin Area: Roughly 32 lakh sq. km
- Left-Bank Tributaries: Seonath (Shivnath), Hasdeo, Mand and Ib
- Right-Bank Tributaries: Ong, Tel and Jonk
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