Mahanadi water dispute: Odisha files petition for setting up tribunal

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday filed a petition with the Union Water Resources Ministry for setting up of a tribunal to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute.

In the petition, the government also urged the ministry to direct Chhattisgarh to stop construction of barrages over Mahanadi river with immediate effect.

“Today Odisha government has filed a complaint petition to the Union government under section 3 of Inter-State River Dispute Act for the formation of a tribunal and direction to Chhattisgarh to stop construction. I requested the Union government to expedite the same,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik informed media persons here.

Odisha Water Resources secretary Pradeep Jena said that the complaint petition has been filed demanding the formation of Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal as per provisions of Interstate Water Dispute Act, 1956 to resolve the water issue.

The state government is also planning to move the court to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute.