Bhubaneswar: Odisha and Chhattisgarh on Saturday submitted a joint report on water availability in the Mahanadi before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal, a key step towards adjudication of the inter-state river water-sharing dispute.Odisha advocate general Pitambar Acharya described the joint technical report as a “historic milestone” that could help expedite resolution of the long-pending issue. He said Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi and his Chhattisgarh counterpart Vishnu Deo Sai have approved the report.On April 20, the tribunal comprising chairperson Bela M Trivedi and members Ravi Ranjan and Indermeet Kaur Kochhar granted “one last opportunity” to both states to finalize the minutes of the technical committee meeting held on April 8, which focused on annual water availability.Acharya said the tribunal appreciated the efforts of both states towards an amicable settlement. The next hearing is scheduled for May 30.He said the two states have reached a consensus on two issues and are working to resolve other points of difference. However, he declined to specify the issues on which agreement has been reached.During the April 20 hearing, the tribunal had expressed displeasure over repeated adjournments sought by both states, noting that despite claims of progress, no concrete proposal or consensus had been placed before it.The tribunal was constituted on March 12, 2018, after Odisha approached it seeking adjudication of the dispute. The state has maintained that efforts are ongoing to reach an amicable settlement.
