The Mahanadi River Water Dispute Tribunal on Saturday conducted its first hearing in New Delhi on the longstanding dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over the issue of sharing of Mahanadi water.
During the hearing, the Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra Governments sought eight weeks’ time to present their stands on the interim petition filed by the Odisha Government.
Acting on the pleas, a three-member bench asked the Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra Governments to file their statements of claims within eight weeks.
The bench comprising Supreme Court’s Justice AM Khanwilkar, former Delhi High Court judge Indermeet Kaur and Patna High Court judge Ravi Ranjan also took up the original petition filed by the Odisha Government and fixed the hearing on January 12 next.
The bench asked all respondent States to file their counters by November 24.
The Odisha Government would have to file a rejoinder before December 14.
Notably, the Centre has constituted the Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal on March 12 following the Supreme Court’s January 23 order on a suit filed by the Odisha Government.