Panel to examine existing Mahanadi water sharing agreements

Taking cognisance of complaint made by Odisha over sharing of Mahanadi water, the Centre has constituted a committee to assess availability and utilisation of water in the river and its tributaries.
According to an official statement issued by Union Water Resources Ministry, the panel will examine existing water sharing agreements on river Mahanadi and consider claims of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand regarding availability and utilisation of waters of these rivers.
The 12-member committee will be headed by a Central Water Commission member and will have members comprising representatives from these states and Union Ministries of Agriculture, Environment Forest and Climate Change, Water Resources and India Meteorological Department.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within three months.
Odisha had made the complaint under section 3 of the Inter-state River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956 regarding utilisation of waters of Mahandi basin.