Chhattisgarh agrees to Odisha’s proposal for CWC-mediated talks on Mahanadi dispute: official
During a hearing before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT), Chhattisgarh agreed to Odisha's proposal for negotiations mediated by the Central Water Commission (CWC), rather than continuing purely adversarial tribunal proceedings
Chhattisgarh indicated willingness to explore an amicable settlement of the dispute over the Mahanadi's waters
The tribunal directed Chhattisgarh to place its stand in writing before the next hearing
The underlying dispute concerns Odisha's claim that upstream barrages and weirs built by Chhattisgarh have reduced water flow into Odisha, especially during summer months
Officials from both states have reportedly held around 50 technical and administrative-level meetings over the years in earlier attempts at resolution
Inter-State River Water Disputes — Article 262 and the ISRWD Act, 1956
Article 262 of the Constitution empowers Parliament to provide by law for the adjudication of disputes relating to the use, distribution, or control of waters of inter-state rivers or river valleys. Article 262(2) also allows Parliament to bar the Supreme Court or any other court from exercising jurisdiction over such disputes. Under this power, Parliament enacted the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956, which provides the legal mechanism (constitution of tribunals) through which such disputes are adjudicated instead of through ordinary litigation.
Key Details
- Article 262(1): Parliament may by law provide for adjudication of inter-state river water disputes
- Article 262(2): Parliament may exclude the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and other courts over such disputes
- ISRWD Act, 1956, Section 4: Central Government constitutes a Water Disputes Tribunal on receiving a complaint from a State Government, if the dispute cannot be settled by negotiation
- Other active/past tribunals under this framework include the Cauvery, Krishna, Godavari, and Vansadhara tribunals
The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) was itself constituted under Section 4(1) of the ISRWD Act, 1956, read with Article 262(1), after Odisha approached the Supreme Court in 2016; the tribunal was set up in March 2018. The current hearing where Chhattisgarh agreed to CWC-mediated talks is part of this tribunal's ongoing proceedings.
Role of the Central Water Commission (CWC)
The Central Water Commission is a premier technical organisation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti's Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. It advises the Union and State Governments on water resources development, flood management, and inter-state water-sharing matters, and frequently serves as a technical mediator or fact-finding body in inter-state river disputes even while formal adjudication proceeds through a Tribunal.
Key Details
- CWC functions under the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation)
- It provides technical inputs on river flows, storage, and basin hydrology used by tribunals and negotiating states
- CWC-style negotiated settlements are seen as faster and less adversarial than prolonged tribunal litigation, which can take years (e.g., the Cauvery dispute took decades)
Odisha's proposal — accepted by Chhattisgarh — is to use the CWC as a neutral technical mediator to negotiate a settlement on Mahanadi water sharing, running in parallel with the ongoing MWDT proceedings.
The Mahanadi River System
The Mahanadi is a major east-flowing peninsular river, originating in Chhattisgarh and flowing through Odisha before draining into the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the larger interstate rivers of peninsular India in terms of catchment area, and disputes over water sharing between upstream (Chhattisgarh) and downstream (Odisha) states have intensified with the construction of new barrages and irrigation/industrial projects upstream.
Key Details
- Mahanadi originates near Sihawa in the Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh and flows through Odisha to the Bay of Bengal
- Odisha's core grievance: upstream barrages and weirs in Chhattisgarh reduce downstream flow, particularly affecting the Hirakud Dam's storage and summer-season availability
- The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in March 2018 to adjudicate the dispute
The current negotiation push follows years of technical and administrative-level talks between the two states that had not fully resolved the dispute, prompting Odisha to seek CWC-facilitated mediation alongside the tribunal process.
- Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal constituted: March 2018
- Legal basis: Section 4(1), Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, read with Article 262(1) of the Constitution
- Approximately 50 technical/administrative-level meetings held between the two states over the years
- Next tribunal hearing/deadline for Chhattisgarh's written stand: July 23