Odisha seeks tribunal to resolve Mahanadi water issue

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday filed a petition with the Union Water Resources Ministry for setting up a tribunal to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh.

Odisha also urged the union ministry to direct the Chhattisgarh government to stop construction of barrages over the Mahanadi river with immediate effect.

"Today Odisha government filed a complaint petition to the Union government under Section 3 of Inter-State River Dispute Act for formation of a tribunal and direction to Chhattisgarh to stop construction," said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at New Delhi.

During the meeting with the Prime Minister, Patnaik impressed upon to expedite the same.

The Prime Minister assured him the issues raised by the Chief Minister would be looked into, said a release.

Odisha Water Resources Secretary Pradeep Jena said that the state government is hopeful of getting favourable ruling after it filed a petition for formation of a tribunal to resolve the ongoing Mahanadi row.

"Along with our petition, we have provided detailed information in a 700-page document which contains all historical facts and data over the past 30-40 years. The document also highlights how the projects undertaken by Chhattisgarh will affect Odisha and why the state is harbouring apprehensions," said Jena.