Amidst the ongoing battle with Chhattisgarh, Odisha has sought time to submit the common format information before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal.
As per official reports, Odisha has sought four weeks' time to submit the common information format. The prayer was made on the first hearing on Tuesday after the Tribunal’s field visit to Chhattisgarh and Odisha recently.
A senior official informed that the Tribunal had conducted site visits in two phases in both states and the case was listed for hearing today. Chhattisgarh has submitted 34 and Odisha has filed eight common format information. Odisha has not filed common format information as there is dispute whether the western catchment is part of Mahanadi basin or not.
A meeting will be fixed by the assessors and submitted affidavits will be filed after submission of common format information.
“We had sought time to file common format information as it runs up to 50,000-60,000 pages and the Tribunal has granted four weeks time. The technical team is backing us and we hope that it will be completed within the time period,” said Biswabara Das.
The Mahanadi River Water Disputes Tribunal visited 30 locations in Odisha during its site inspection recently. The tribunal had earlier completed its field visit to Chhattisgarh in two phases from April 18 to May 3, 2023.