Cooperation can resolve Mahanadi dispute’

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Cooperation can resolve Mahanadi dispute’

Context:

  • The Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO) and Mahanadi River Waterkeeper has recently organised the 2nd Odisha River Conference.

2nd Odisha River Conference:

  • Around 150 people from basin communities such as farmers and fisherfolks participated in the programme along with civil society representatives, river and water experts and academicians from across the country.
  • An  Inter-State Cooperation Framework for the resolution of the Mahanadi river water dispute was constituted.

Issues revolving around the Mahanadi water dispute:

  • Competitive politics over the Mahanadi water sharing;
  • Both the States are treating the Mahanadi as a commodity and not a natural resource;
  • Odisha-centric or Chhattisgarh-centric approach to solving the issue.

The guiding principles to solve the water disputes are as follows:

  • Formulation of a comprehensive understanding;
  • availability of water in the basin; and
  • People’s rights on the river.

Mahanadi:

  • Mahanadi is the sixth largest river in India.
  • It originates from Chhattisgarh and enters the Bay of Bengal travelling 851 km, of which 357 km lies in Chhattisgarh and 494 km in Odisha.
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