BJP Fails to Resolve the Mahanadi Water Dispute
- The Flood Situation in Odisha Is Entirely Man-Made
- Despite a Triple-Engine Government, Delay Continues in Resolving the Mahanadi Water Dispute
- Lack of Coordination Is Resulting in the Neglect of the People of Odisha
- State Government Must Immediately Make Public the Deliberations Held in the Meeting
Bhubaneswar, 01/08/2026:The resolution of the Mahanadi water dispute has been delayed due to the incompetence of the BJP Government. Despite the existence of a triple-engine government, the people of Odisha are being neglected because of a lack of coordination. The prevailing flood situation in Odisha is entirely man-made. The BijuJanata Dal (BJD) strongly criticized the BJP Government in Odisha for deliberately withholding the details of the discussions held during the meeting on the Mahanadi water dispute in New Delhi and misleading the people of Odisha with false assurances.
Addressing a press conference held today at SankhaBhawan, the party’s Senior Vice President and former Minister Shri Debi Prasad Mishra, MLA and former Minister Dr. ArunSahoo, and Senior General Secretary Shri BhruguBaxipatra strongly condemned the BJP Government’s failure to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute. They stated that the devastating flood situation in Odisha is entirely man-made.
Shri Debi Prasad Mishra said that the Chhattisgarh Government is not paying the slightest attention to Odisha’s concerns. Sacrificing Odisha’s interests, the Odisha Government has surrendered before Chhattisgarh. A tripartite meeting involving the Central Government, the Odisha Government, and the Chhattisgarh Government on the Mahanadi water dispute has already been held in New Delhi. The Chief Minister of Odisha himself participated in the meeting. After the meeting, the Chief Minister stated before the media that the Mahanadi water dispute would be resolved before Diwali. However, it is the moral responsibility of the Chief Minister to inform the people of Odisha about the basis and outcome of the discussions held in New Delhi. He has failed to make public what was discussed during the meeting.
He further said that Chhattisgarh has not been cooperating with Odisha regarding the management of the Mahanadi waters. Despite repeated requests, Chhattisgarh has refused to establish a new gauge near the Saradihi Barrage. The Chhattisgarh Government continues to disregard the Odisha Government’s concerns. Since the existing gauge is not functioning properly, it is creating difficulties in water management. Even after the recommendations of the N. Khosla Report, the Chhattisgarh Government has violated its provisions, thereby aggravating the water dispute. Due to Chhattisgarh’s arbitrary actions, the Rule Curve policy for the safety of the Hirakud Reservoir cannot be implemented effectively. The backwater effect from Chhattisgarh is posing a threat to the Hirakud Reservoir and worsening the flood situation in Odisha. He urged the State Government not to remain silent but to fight for the larger interests of Odisha. He also demanded that the State Government disclose to the people of Odisha what exactly was discussed in New Delhi regarding the resolution of the Mahanadi water dispute.
Dr. Arun Kumar Sahoo said that the Mahanadi is the lifeline of Odisha and that sixteen districts of the State depend on it. The BJP, which came to power invoking OdiaAsmita (Odia identity), has completely failed to protect the Mahanadi, which is a symbol of Odia pride. BJP governments are in power at the Centre, in Chhattisgarh, and in Odisha. Yet, despite a triple-engine government, the Mahanadi water dispute remains unresolved. The State Government has surrendered before Chhattisgarh.
He questioned why the State Government did not initiate discussions during the summer months when the Mahanadi had dried up, and instead chose to hold discussions during the monsoon season. According to him, the Government is attempting to divert public attention from the water scarcity experienced during summer. While Chhattisgarh possesses 24 lakh million acre-feet of water, the then Odisha Government had maintained that Chhattisgarh required only 10 lakh million acre-feet for its use. However, Chhattisgarh’s demand for 27 lakh million acre-feet of Mahanadi water gave rise to the dispute. Odisha requires 1.74 million acre-feet of water during the non-monsoon period for managing the Hirakud Reservoir and for agricultural purposes, but Chhattisgarh has been denying this through its arbitrary actions.
He further alleged that during summer, Chhattisgarh keeps all the gates of the Kalma Barrage closed, resulting in the Odisha side drying up and adversely affecting Rabi cultivation. However, during the monsoon, Chhattisgarh opens all the gates of the Kalma Barrage, causing the water level in the Hirakud Reservoir to rise and leading to flood situations in Odisha. He questioned why the State Government is afraid of making public the discussions held in New Delhi regarding the resolution of the water dispute. He asserted that the BJD will continue its fight to protect the interests of the people of Odisha and demanded that the State Government immediately disclose the deliberations of the meeting on the Mahanadi water dispute.
Shri BhruguBaxipatra stated that when the BJP was in the Opposition in Odisha, it had strongly criticized the then State Government over the Mahanadi water dispute. However, after coming to power, it has forgotten those commitments. It is extremely unfortunate that despite having a triple-engine government, the BJP has failed to resolve the dispute. After assuming office, the BJP has failed to fulfil the promises it made during the elections and is misleading the people of Odisha with false assurances.
He said that the present flood situation in Odisha is a direct consequence of the BJP Government’s failure to resolve the water dispute. While Odisha is reeling under floods, the Chief Minister is holding discussions in New Delhi. A Tribunal has already been constituted for resolving the Mahanadi water dispute. The Tribunal toured Odisha for six days, and the State Government reportedly spent nearly ₹3 crore on the exercise, but no tangible outcome has emerged.
He further alleged that Chhattisgarh opened the gates of the Kalma Barrage without informing Odisha, resulting in severe flooding in the State, for which the BJP Government is entirely responsible. He recalled that during his visit to Satyabadi in June 2024, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti had stated that the Mahanadi water dispute would be resolved within three months. However, no resolution has been achieved to date.
He urged the Chief Minister to set aside partisan interests and dedicate himself to safeguarding the interests of Odisha. He appealed that Odisha should not be sacrificed before Chhattisgarh merely to appease others. Due to the arbitrary actions of the Chhattisgarh Government, Odisha continues to suffer neglect. He called upon the State Government to raise its voice in defence of Odisha’s larger interests and immediately make public the discussions held during the meeting on resolving the Mahanadi water dispute.
