Odisha panel on Mahanadi dispute agrees to amicable settlement, maintains legal battle

The all-party high-level committee on the Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh has agreed to pursue an amicable settlement while ensuring that the ongoing legal battle remains unaffected.

The first meeting of the committee was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo and attended by all eight members, including three ministers — Suresh Pujari (Revenue), Prithiviraj Harichandan (Law), and Sampad Chandra Swain (Industries) — along with MLAs Saroj Kumar Pradhan (BJP), Niranjan Pujari (BJD), and Sofia Firdous (Congress).

The panel discussed strategies for resolving the long-standing water-sharing dispute amicably through dialogue with Chhattisgarh, while simultaneously ensuring that Odisha’s legal stance in the ongoing case is not weakened. Officials said the dual approach reflects the state’s commitment to protecting its interests while exploring collaborative solutions.

The committee plans to hold follow-up meetings to finalise the modalities of the settlement and monitor progress on both the negotiation and legal fronts.