📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / VishuN
Politics
BJD, MBA Call for Sone‑Like Resolution to End Odisha‑Chhattisgarh Mahanadi Water Dispute
✍️ The New Indian Express
🗓 02 Sep 2026, 06:37 PM
👁 4
Biju Janata Dal and Mahajanasamajik Bheda leaders have urged a Sone‑River style settlement to resolve the long‑standing water sharing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over the Mahanadi.
The Mahanadi River, which flows through Odisha and Chhattisgarh, has been the focus of a protracted water‑sharing dispute between the two states. Recent statements by leaders of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Mahajanasamajik Bheda (MBA) parties call for a resolution modeled after the Sone River settlement that ended a similar conflict between Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
BJD and MBA officials argue that a legally binding agreement, backed by a joint commission and clear water‑allocation metrics, would prevent future conflicts and ensure equitable distribution of the river’s resources. They point to the Sone River accord as a successful precedent that balanced the needs of both riparian states.
The call comes amid growing concerns over water scarcity, agricultural productivity, and industrial demand in both Odisha and Chhattisgarh. A formal settlement would also strengthen inter‑state cooperation and support regional development plans.
Both parties have urged state governments to initiate talks within the next month, with the hope that a negotiated settlement can be reached before the next monsoon season. The outcome of these discussions will be closely watched by stakeholders across the river basin.
BJD and MBA officials argue that a legally binding agreement, backed by a joint commission and clear water‑allocation metrics, would prevent future conflicts and ensure equitable distribution of the river’s resources. They point to the Sone River accord as a successful precedent that balanced the needs of both riparian states.
The call comes amid growing concerns over water scarcity, agricultural productivity, and industrial demand in both Odisha and Chhattisgarh. A formal settlement would also strengthen inter‑state cooperation and support regional development plans.
Both parties have urged state governments to initiate talks within the next month, with the hope that a negotiated settlement can be reached before the next monsoon season. The outcome of these discussions will be closely watched by stakeholders across the river basin.