KalingaTV News Network
New Delhi: The Union Government finally formed a three-member Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal on Monday to resolve the ongoing water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation issued a notification in this regard which said that the tribunal will be formed under Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956.
“In exercise of the power conferred by section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956, the Central Government hereby constitutes a Water Dispute Tribunal called “The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal,’ with headquarters at New Delhi for the adjudication of the dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh,” said the notification.
“SC Judge Justice AM Khanwilkar will head the tribunal as the Chairperson while Patna HC Judge Justice Ravi Rajan and Delhi HC Judge Justice Indermeet Kaur Kochhar are the other two members of the tribunal. All of them been nominated by the Chief Justice of India (CJI),” added the notification.
Notably, a bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices S. A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao had on January 23 this year asked the Union Government to form the Mahanadi Tribunal within one month to resolve the matter between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
As per provisions of the ISRWD Act, 1956 the Tribunal is required to submit its report and decision within a period of 3 years which can be extended to a further period not exceeding 2 years due to unavoidable reasons.
With the formation of the Tribunal, it is expected that the long-pending dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over Mahanadi river will come to a final settlement.
Kalinga AI