The Mahanadi Tribunal on Saturday directed the Odisha and Chhattisgarh Governments to sort out their water sharing dispute amicably and posted the final verdict pronouncement on March 9.
The three-Judge tribunal bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar directed both the States to submit all the requisite data and information with proof within two weeks.
The tribunal completed its hearing on the interim application, in which Odisha had pleaded for 1.74 million acre-foot water during the non-monsoon months.
The tribunal, in its ruling, said that the final verdict would be delivered on March 9 if the two States fail to arrive at a solution to the water sharing dispute amicably.
On December 15, the Tribunal had asked Odisha Government to submit an affidavit citing detailed information on the rainwater flow in Mahanadi over the last 20 years. In compliance with the direction, Odisha Government submitted an additional affidavit on January 11 highlighting the impact in the State during monsoon and non-monsoon period due to the construction of barrages on the upper catchment areas of the Mahanadi by Chhattisgarh.