Talks on sharing Mahanadi waters end in deadlock

A meeting convened by Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti over sharing waters of the Mahanadi river by Odisha and Chattisgarh ended in an impasse.

Sources told The Hindu that no headaway was made during the meeting, with Odisha being adamant that Chattisgarh should stop work on six barrages being constructed on the river.

The latter reiterating that work on the barrages began more than a decade ago and had too far gone for a halt.

Odisha has contended that the construction of barrages and weirs over the river would leave insufficient water to the Hirakud dam, the most important reservoir in the State.

Chattisgarh has argued that most of the water from the Hirakud dam comes from the State.

Media reports said the Central Water Commission would constitute a committee that would “study all aspects” of the Mahanadi river basin.

This dispute between the two States come in the backdrop of the recent violence in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over a Supreme Court judgment on the sharing of the Cauvery river water.