Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has formed a high-level committee to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh. The decision follows instructions from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who has asked the panel to take forward the process of dialogue and address pending concerns.

Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo will head the committee, which includes seven senior members. Cabinet Ministers Suresh Pujari, Prithiviraj Harichandan and Sampad Chandra Swain have been named to the group along with government chief whip Saroj Kumar Pradhan. Legislators Niranjan Pujari, Jayanarayan Mishra and Sofia Firdous are also part of the panel.

The dispute over Mahanadi water sharing has remained a major point of contention between Odisha and Chhattisgarh for several years, resulting in multiple rounds of discussions at various levels. The National Green Tribunal has been monitoring the issue and has urged both states to work towards an amicable resolution.