Bhubaneswar, Jul 23: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan to discuss a conciliatory resolution to the long-standing Mahanadi water dispute with neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

Stressing the need for cooperation, the CM emphasized that a solution can be reached through mutual dialogue between the two states, facilitated by the Central Government.

The Chief Minister expressed concern over the slow progress of efforts at the Central Water Commission and called for proactive engagement from both states. He suggested that the Centre play a technical and mediatory role to help resolve the issue amicably, which would not only settle the dispute but also strengthen inter-state relations.

The Mahanadi water-sharing issue has been a point of contention for years, with Odisha alleging reduced water flow due to upstream projects in Chhattisgarh. Previous discussions between CM Majhi and Chhattisgarh CM Vishnudeo Sai during the All-India Water Resources Ministers’ Conference in Rajasthan (February) and the World Water Day event in Bhubaneswar (March) had laid the groundwork for this conciliatory approach.

The meeting also revealed that senior officials from both states have been in ongoing discussions to explore technical and legal solutions. Odisha’s Advocate General Pitambar Acharya, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary of Water Resources Anu Garg, Principal Secretary to CM Saswata Mishra, and senior engineers from the Water Resources Department were present.

The Odisha government reiterated its commitment to resolving the issue through dialogue and cooperation, ensuring equitable water distribution and sustainable river management.

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