Odisha govt fighting Mahanadi water dispute case tooth & nail: Minister 

Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, the State government is fighting the Mahanadi water dispute case tooth and nail, said Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu while giving her statement in the Assembly on Friday. 

"The Mahanadi water dispute has stemmed from Chhattisgarh’s illegal checking of the river’s water. Chhattisgarh has constructed six huge industry-oriented barrages whereby it is obstructing the flow of the water. The flow of water in the river decreases in the non-Monsoon period because Chhattisgarh’s planned utilization of 27.48 million acre feet of water," she said. 

In 2000, the Chief Minister demanded the release of 2 million acre feet of water for Odisha. Despite the fact that the matter was taken up with the Prime Minster and Union Water Resources Minister, it yielded no fruit, she added. 

"Mahanadi water dispute is pending adjudication. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, the State government is fighting the case tooth and nail. Advocates are looking after the case. I want to say one thing that the Chief Minister has been fighting for the interest of the State and will continue to fight," she further added. 

The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal will be conducting a field visit in Chhattisgarh from April 17 to 21. Once the field visit in the upper catchment areas of Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh to Kalma barrage is completed, the team will conduct a field visit in Odisha from April 29 to May 03.