Sand Satyagraha Held on the Mahanadi River in Cuttack by Mahanadi Banchao Andolan

The data jointly submitted by the technical committees of Odisha and Chhattisgarh constituted a grave betrayal of both Odisha and the Mahanadi River : Water Man Dr. Rajendra Singh

Cuttack: A significant Sand Satyagraha was organized today on 30’th of May 2026 by the Mahanadi Bachao Andolan at Chhinnamasta Ghat, downstream of the Jobra Anicut in Cuttack, to protest what activists described as misleading data submitted before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal regarding the river’s available water resources.
The protesters strongly opposed the continued closure of the gates of the Kalma Barrage in Chhattisgarh and demanded that water be released to Odisha during the dry season. They also called for the withdrawal of what they termed “distorted and misleading” hydrological data presented before the Tribunal and sought the declaration of several water projects constructed in Chhattisgarh as illegal.
Addressing the gathering, noted water conservationist and Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient Dr. Rajendra Singh stated that the data jointly submitted by the technical committees of Odisha and Chhattisgarh constituted a grave betrayal of both Odisha and the Mahanadi River. He warned that such representations could undermine Odisha’s legitimate claim to its rightful share of water and adversely affect the river’s ecological rights. He further urged that the allegedly unauthorized river projects in Chhattisgarh should not be allowed to become fully operational.

Speaking on the occasion, Mahanadi Bachao Andolan convenor Sudarshan Das questioned the credibility of the figures presented before the Tribunal. He argued that if the Mahanadi basin indeed possesses the volume of water claimed in official submissions, Odisha should not be facing recurring water scarcity during the summer months. According to him, reliance on annual average data conceals the severe distress experienced by Odisha during the non-monsoon season, a reality that policymakers have failed to adequately acknowledge.
Hundreds of activists from various parts of Cuttack participated in the demonstration. The event received support from the Cuttack Sadar Bikash Manch, whose president Prabodh Behera, along with Debendra Sutar, Debasish Mohanty, Manoj Pati, Deepak Samantaray, Haribandhu Satpathy, Ramakanta Mandal, Prasanna Bishoi, Bijnan Bhuyan, Baikuntha Swain, Nigam Panda, Rehman Khan, and several others, played a leading role in the protest.
The demonstration underscored growing concerns over water governance, interstate river management, and the need to safeguard Odisha’s interests in the ongoing Mahanadi water dispute.