New Delhi: The Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal has deferred the hearing of an application filed by Odisha against Chhattisgarh that alleges construction of barrages on the Mahanadi river and seeks directions to the upper riparian state to maintain a specific flow of water. The tribunal will take up the matter for hearing May 14. “The matter listed for hearing April 30 stands adjourned and shall be taken up for hearing May 14,” the registrar of the tribunal said Monday.
The tribunal had March 12 asked Odisha and Chhattisgarh to submit affidavits of witnesses in order to depose their studies in connection with the Mahanadi river.
Significantly, Odisha proposed nine witnesses to examine in the tribunal during the hearing of the matter. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh has proposed around eight witnesses for the same.
Among the witnesses proposed by Odisha are – former Member of Central Water Commission ME Haque to depose for assessment of water availability in Mahanadi basin; former CWC Chairman Rajesh Kumar to depose for planning and regulation in Chhattisgarh for ensuring water at the inter-state border; former chief engineer of Odisha Water Resources department Harmohan Pradhan to depose for development and operation of Hirakud Reservoir, Mahanadi Delta; former engineer-in-chief DoWR RC Tripathy; former scientist at Central Ground Water Board Gulab Prasad; former Dean of College of Agriculture Dibakar Naik; former Director of GRIDCO Prashant Kumar Pradhan; former Director of Institute of Economic Growth Manoj Kumar Panda and former member of National Green Tribunal PC Mishra.
The witnesses proposed by both states would depose their studies on Mahanadi river in the tribunal.