An important step in the process of resolving the long-running conflict was taken Thursday when a ten-member delegation of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) arrived in Odisha for a five-day visit.
The team is led by Tribunal Chairperson Justice Bela M. Trivedi and consists of Justice Ravi Ranjan. The team members traveled by car to Sambalpur, where talks about the Mahanadi River water issue are set to take place, shortly after arriving at Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda. It should be mentioned that the Center has been persuaded to prolong the tribunal’s term, which is scheduled to expire on April 13.
The Hirakud dam and other locations in Odisha, including a portion of the Mahanadi River basin, would be presented to the tribunal on Friday, according to sources. On the same day, the crew will also tour the powerhouses in Chiplima and Burla. On its journey to the Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary, it will stop at the Hirakud command area.
The team members are scheduled to worship at the temples of Shree Jagannath in Puri and Lingaraj in Bhubaneswar on March 1. They will next travel to Ramchandi, which is close to Konark, to see the Kushabhadra confluence. The crew will return to Bhubaneswar after seeing Chilika Lake and the sea outlet at Satapada Jetty on March 2, the concluding day of the trip.
Mahanadi Bachao Andolan (MBA) questioned the tribunal’s efficacy prior to its arrival without any high-level official involvement, notwithstanding the uncertainties surrounding its duration extension. In order to guarantee the discharge of sufficient water into Mahanadi during the non-monsoon season, MBA convenor Sudarsan Das asked the tribunal for an interim award. In addition, he expressed doubts about the tribunal’s capacity to conclude the proceedings and render a decision that would safeguard the interests of Odisha and its citizens.