An important meeting was held between Chhattisgarh and Odisha in New Delhi regarding Mahanadi water sharing. Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai described Mahanadi as not a dispute but the basis of shared prosperity. Know what suggestions were given in the meeting and what can happen next.
Now new hope has arisen for a solution to the issue of Mahanadi water distribution, which has been a topic of discussion for years. A high level meeting was held between Chhattisgarh and Odisha under the chairmanship of Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in New Delhi. During this, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai clearly said that Mahanadi should not be a dispute but should be made the basis of common prosperity and development of both the states. In the meeting, the Chief Ministers and senior administrative officials of both the states discussed the future water policy in detail.
‘Mahanadi is the lifeline of both the states’, said Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai
In the meeting, Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai said that Mahanadi water is not limited to irrigation only, but it is also related to the livelihood of farmers, drinking water, industry, environment and the future of the coming generations.
He said that the Chhattisgarh government is not looking at this issue as a dispute, but towards a permanent solution through mutual dialogue and cooperation. According to him, the interests of both the states are not opposed to each other but complementary, hence such a solution should be prepared which does not affect the rights and needs of any state.
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Suggestion of shared water management for low rainfall years
Chief Minister Sai said that experts from both the states have studied the available water and technical aspects. Now the need is to develop a permanent system keeping in mind the future needs on the basis of scientific findings.
He suggested creating a common water management system for low rainfall years, so that no state faces water shortage. He also talked about creating a permanent institutional mechanism, which keeps reviewing water availability, usage and future needs from time to time.
Seeks technical cooperation from Centre, emphasis on consensus based solution
Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai requested Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil and the Central Water Commission to play an active role in providing unbiased technical cooperation, time-bound action plan and formulation of a consent-based long-term agreement between the two states.
He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said that the spirit of cooperative federalism has created a positive environment for resolving complex issues that are years old.
It was also agreed in the meeting that most of the technical and administrative issues should be resolved at the officers’ level, while only policy issues should be brought up to the ministerial level. This is expected to make the decision process faster, transparent and more effective. This initiative is being considered an important step towards a permanent and practical solution to the Mahanadi water dispute.
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