Odisha political parties unite to resolve Mahanadi water dispute
Bhubaneswar, Aug 2 (UNI) Political parties in Odisha, irrespective of their affiliations, have unanimously decided to approach the Centre for the formation of the Mahanadi River Board under Article 165 of the Constitution to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh.
The move aims to protect the Mahanadi River and its tributaries, which serve as the lifeline of the state.
In a round table meeting organised under the aegis of the Mahanadi Bachao Andolan held yesterday, leaders from across party lines resolved to launch a mass movement for the protection and conservation of the river.
It was decided that a collaborative meeting involving social organisations, river movement activists, and subject experts would be organised to find a resolution to the ongoing Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh.
Participants also proposed a symbolic river walk from Satkosia, where the Mahanadi enters Odisha, to Paradip to raise awareness and unite public sentiment.
All stakeholders welcomed the proposal for a dialogue-based resolution of the dispute. They urged the state government to convene a meeting of all political parties, river experts, activists, and intellectuals to build consensus.
One of the key recommendations made was that Chhattisgarh should release 2.74 MCM of water to Odisha during the non-monsoon season. A technical report addressing the dispute will also be submitted to the Centre and the Central Water Commission (CWC).
A task force has been formed to spearhead these initiatives, comprising, among others, Dr. Arvind Behera (former Secretary, Water Resources Department), Braj Kishore Tripathi (former Union Minister), Panchanan Kanungo, Prasad Harichandan, and MLA Ganeshwar Behera(all former Odisha Ministers).
The convener of the task force is Sudarshan Das, founder and convenor of the Mahanadi Bachao Andolan.
The conference was chaired by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das and attended by several senior leaders including, Prasad Harichandan (former PCC President) Dr. Arun Kumar Sahu and Ganeshwar Behera (BJD), Krishna Chandra Jagdev (BJP) Pradeep Nayak (CPM), Ashok Pradhan (CPI-ML Liberation), Jyoti Ranjan Mohapatra (Forward Bloc), Purna Chandra Padhi (Independent), Vikram Swain (NCP), Hemant Kumar (RJD) and Padma Shri Devi prasanna Patnaik, a known linguistic expert
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, in a recent high-level meeting, had expressed optimism that the long-standing water dispute with Chhattisgarh could be resolved amicably through direct bilateral negotiations.
He noted the slow progress of the case with the CWC and emphasised the need for proactive talks supported by the central government.
It is worth noting that CM Majhi and Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai have already met twice this year—once at the All India State Water Resources Ministers’ Conference in Rajasthan (February), and again during World Water Day events in Bhubaneswar (March)—to stress the importance of resolving the issue through dialogue.
High-level talks between officials of both states are reportedly ongoing.
Leader of Opposition and BJD President Naveen Patnaik has also called for an all-party meeting to discuss the issue, stating, “The Mahanadi is not just a river—it is the soul of our state. There must be full transparency and accountability, Patnaik has stated .
