Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly's House committee on Mahanadi headed by speaker Pradeep Amat on Thursday decided to meet again in February to chalk out a strategy on how to intensify the state's demand for setting up a tribunal to settle the river's water-sharing issue between Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
The state has been demanding constitution of the tribunal as per the existing Act of 1956 for resolving the inter-state water-sharing row.
However, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra was absent at the meeting. He cited other prior engagements.
Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati said: "The leader of Opposition couldn't turn up because of personal problems. However, the report presented by the water resources department needs to be analysed. We should not be in a hurry to take a decision on the issue. We will analyse everything and the panel will take a right stand on the issue. The meeting has been deferred to the first week of February."
In the meeting, the water resources department circulated a 14-page report to the members present highlighting all steps taken by the Odisha government to protect the interest of the state. It also briefed the members on Odisha's demand for setting up a tribunal.
Bahinipati said: "The Assembly secretary will shortly despatch this report's copy to those members who were absent today. Only after a detailed study of the report, a final decision on it will be taken at the next meeting."
BJP Legislature Party Leader K.V. Singhdeo said: "It was an important meeting. We should not jump to a conclusion in the absence of the Mishra."
He said: "We had asked the state government to provide all information relating to our fight on Mahanadi. We will soon examine it and take a decision on how to protect the interests of Odisha."
BJD spokesperson Arun Kumar Sahoo said: "All the members were unanimous on protecting the interests of Mahanadi and Odisha."
The report submitted with the House Committee on Thursday stated that despite the chief minister's formal petition to Prime Minister and the Supreme Court's intervention, the Centre is dillydallying on setting up a tribunal.
