Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Advocate General Pitambar Acharya characterized the Mahanadi water dispute as political and expressed optimism about resolving it through negotiations rather than court intervention. The contention between Odisha and Chhattisgarh regarding water sharing has been under consideration by the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) since 2018. Speaking at a press conference for the upcoming National Mediation Conference in Bhubaneswar on Thursday, Acharya emphasized that the Odisha government is committed to resolving the dispute through dialogue. He noted, “No water tribunal in India has successfully resolved any dispute.
The previous administration invested Rs 33 crore on this matter, engaging top legal experts, but achieved no outcomes.” He labeled the dispute a “political dispute” that should be settled politically, deeming it “artificial.” Acharya remarked that if the current government successfully negotiates a resolution, it would be unprecedented in India’s history. In response, the Opposition BJD criticized Acharya’s comments, alleging they were politically motivated and undermined the integrity of the Advocate General’s office.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty claimed, “Today’s statement is politically charged, aimed at blaming the previous government and is devoid of truth.” He questioned why the issue remained unresolved after 15 months, suggesting that if it were truly an artificial dispute, it should have been easily settled after the government change, especially with the BJP in power at both the national and Chhattisgarh levels. Mohanty argued that the ongoing dispute disproves Acharya’s characterization.