Odisha Sun Times Bureau
New Delhi, Jul 29:

A joint control board has been proposed by the Centre which will have representatives of Odisha and Chhattisgarh and a representative from the Central Water Commission (CWC) to address issues related to Mahanadi dispute.

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“The Centre has proposed to constitute a joint control board. The board will have representatives of both states and the CWC. Chhattisgarh will share details of whatever projects that have been executed by it or will be executed by it in future with us and the CWC. After getting our comments they will take the final decision. I have told that we will let them know after discussing with the government,” informed Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi after the conclusion of the inter-state meeting called by the Union Water Resources Ministry here today.

Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand also spoke in similar lines like that of Padhi.

“The Union Water Resources Secretary has given a good piece of advice. We too have agreed between ourselves. Our Chief Minister Raman Singh and Water Resources Minister Brij Mohan Agarwal have told earlier and now through us, they have sent a message that Odisha and Chhattisgarh are good neighbours and we will maintain that. We will remain good neighbours. We will share information between us. A joint control board has been suggested. We have given our consent for it. My Odisha counterpart has said that he will inform after speaking to his government,” said Dhand to reporters.

However, Dhand said that 55% of the water that flows in the Mahanadi is from Chhattisgarh and 45% is from Odisha while adding that 86% of the water that flows into the Hirakud Dam is from Chhattisgarh.

He pointed out that out of that 86% Chhattisgarh is using only 25% at present. He said the Union Secretary expressed concern over it. We are only utilizing 2% of Mahanadi water and the rest 98% is being wasted, he added.