Inter-Ministerial Committee Meets on Mahanadi Water Dispute, Reviews Hirakud Project and Tribunal Proceedings

Bhubaneswar: The first meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee constituted to examine interstate water issues related to the Mahanadi was held on Monday at Rajiv Bhawan, Department of Water Resources, under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister K.V. Singh Deo.

The meeting was attended by Ministers Suresh Pujari, Prithviraj Harichandan and Sampad Chandra Swain, along with MLAs Saroj Kumar Pradhan, Niranjan Pujari and Sofia Firdous. MLA Jayanarayan Mishra participated in the meeting virtually. Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja and Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg, along with senior officers and engineers of the Department of Water Resources, were also present to provide technical and administrative inputs to the Committee.

During the deliberations, the Committee held preliminary discussions on key aspects of the Mahanadi interstate water dispute, including the Hirakud Project, the historical background of the dispute, and the current status of proceedings before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal. The members also reviewed the overall status of issues concerning the Mahanadi basin and explored pathways for an amicable resolution of long-pending matters.

Emphasis was laid on adopting a coordinated and well-documented approach to safeguard Odisha’s interests while engaging constructively in the dispute resolution process. The Committee discussed strategies to strengthen the State’s position through technical assessments, legal preparedness and inter-departmental coordination.

It was decided that the next meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee will be convened in January 2026 to further consolidate Odisha’s stand and advance efforts towards an amicable settlement of the Mahanadi water issues.