Lok Sabha Question No. 628 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-04
Subject: Dispute on Construction of Dam on Mahanadi River
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Bhartruhari Mahtab

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 628

ANSWERED ON 04.02.2021

## DISPUTE ON CONSTRUCT ION OF DAM ON MAHANA DI RIVER

## 628.       SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  measures  taken/being  taken  by  the  Union  Government  to  resolve  the  disput Governments of Odisha and Chhattisgarh pertaining to construction of  dams  on  Mahanadi  River  have achieved the desired results;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the present status

(c) whether the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal constituted by the Union Governme nt under Section 4 of the Inter - State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 has determined water sharing among States;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the time by whic determined; and

(e) the other corrective steps taken/being taken by the Union Government to resolve the said d to address the concerns of the Government of Odisha?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) to (d ) The Central Government has constituted Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal on12.0 under Section 4 of the Inter - State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (as amended) for adjudication water dispute regarding the inter - state river Mahanadi. A t present the dispute is under adjudication i the Tribunal under Section 5 (2) of Inter - State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (as amended).As per Section  5(2)  of  Inter - S ate  River  Water  Disputes  Act,  1956  (as  amended) 'TheTribunal  shall investigate the mat ters referred to it and forward to the Central Government a report setting facts  as  found  by  it  and  giving  its  decision  on  the  matters  referred  to  it  within  a  pe years(emphasis added).Provided that if the decision cannot be given for u navoidable reason, within a period of three years, the Central Government may extend the period for a further period not two years' .Thereafter, under Section 5(3) of the said Act, the Central Government/StateGovern may again refer the matt er to the Tribunal for further consideration, which may then give its report  within  one  year,  with  the  option  to  extend  for  such  further  period  as  Central  G considers necessary.

(e)  In  order  to  further  streamline  the  adjudication  of  inter - State  river  water  disputes  by  way  of amending Inter - State River Water Disputes Act,1956, the Inter -State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha on 25.07.2019 and has been considered passed by Lok Sabha on 31.07.2019. Th ere shall be established a single Tribunal, to be called the -State River Water Disputes Tribunal, in place of multiple Tribunals. The Tribunal will hav Benches.  Enactment  of  these  amendments  will  facilitate  faster  adjudication  of  water  disp utes  and establish a robust institutional architecture for the purpose. The Bill will be taken up fo in Rajya Sabha in due course.

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