Overview

• The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal, chaired by Justice Bela M. Trivedi, deferred its next hearing to September 6 and asked state secretaries to report on progress of amicable talks
• Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi proposed on July 25 establishing a joint technical committee led by the Central Water Commission under the Ministry of Jal Shakti
• Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai acknowledged receipt of Majhi’s letter and confirmed the settlement proposal is under consideration
• Both state governments have formally expressed willingness to settle the decade-long dispute through negotiations instead of protracted tribunal proceedings
• No formal inter-state water-sharing pact exists, and minimal tribunal progress since 2018 has prompted a shift toward political and technical collaboration