The Water Initiative Odisha (WIO) has suggested setting up a joint technical committee by Odisha and Chhattisgarh with mediation of the Central Government and help independent groups to collect, compile and analyse all data and then come out with a detailed White Paper on water availability and use in the river basin of the Mahanadi.
WIO convenor Ranjan Panda said neither the Chhattisgarh Government nor the Odisha Government has got complete information with regard to utilisation of the Mahanadi water for various purposes. Chhattisgarh especially has not shared information on various dam and barrage projects it has taken up upstream that have the potential to impact Mahanadi water flow.
Chhattisgarh should agree to stop all existing constructions regarding which Odisha has no information or has not given consent till such a status paper is ready,” he urged further.
While expressing happiness over a debate on the Mahanadi water row in the Rajya Sabha, Panda said the Union Minister of State for Water Resources admitted that some projects have been constructed by Chhattisgarh during the last two years without approval of the CWC.
“That speaks about how we need a strong mechanism between States to jointly monitor projects. Both the States should immediately start such a negotiated mechanism through a dialogue,” demanded Panda.
“The MPs in Rajya Sabha also echoed our concerns regarding the Inter-State Water Disputes Act 1956. This Act has been insufficient to play an effective role in providing solutions to disputes such as the current one and thus has failed in ensuring cooperative federalism. The country needs to revisit this Act and revise it after ample public consultations,” urged Panda.