Bhubaneswar, Feb 7: The hearing of the long-pending Mahanadi water dispute has been rescheduled to March 14, according to official reports. The Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) will take up the matter after conducting a spot visit to the basin areas between the last week of February and the first week of March.

Sources said the tribunal plans to assess ground realities during the field visit before proceeding with formal hearings. The March 14 sitting is expected to deliberate on key issues related to water sharing between Odisha and Chhattisgarh, making it a significant development in the protracted inter-state dispute.

Notably, the tenure of the tribunal is scheduled to end on April 13. Both Odisha and Chhattisgarh have urged the Centre to extend its term till March 27, 2027, to ensure a comprehensive examination of the case and completion of proceedings.

Advocate General Pitanambar Acharya pointed out that tribunal activities were stalled for nearly nine months due to the vacancy in the chairperson’s post, leading to delays in hearings.

With the upcoming field inspection and the March 14 hearing, stakeholders remain hopeful of progress toward a resolution of the long-standing Mahanadi river water sharing conflict between the two neighbouring states.

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