Mahanadi Water Dispute 'Artificially' Created For Political Optics, Benefiting Lawyers: Odisha Advocate General

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday came down heavily on Odisha Advocate General, Pitambar Acharya, over his remarks on the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh.

Addressing a presser earlier in the day, Acharya said that the dispute was ‘artificial’ and deliberately created to serve some vested interests. “The dispute was artificially created ahead of the elections, not for justice but for political optics alone. Expensive legal battles were planned to benefit certain ‘highly-paid’ lawyers. Real efforts to resolve the matter began after the BJP formed the government in Odisha,” he said.

The Advocate General further stated that no water dispute case has ever been settled in India through tribunals. “The (BJD-led) government fought the case for nearly seven years. Renowned lawyers were hired and around Rs 33 crore was spent from the state exchequer. We have disengaged the high-paid lawyers and are now fighting the case on our own. The Centre is mediating, and we are hopeful of a resolution,” he expressed.

“If we come out successful in the case, it will be the ‘first-of-its-kind’ in the history of the country,” he told reporters.

Responding to the statements, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said that the Advocate General is a constitutional position, and persons holding this office should refrain from making political statements. He further stated that Acharya’s comment that the dispute was created merely to “feed expensive lawyers” is laughable. “Is it not true that after Acharya took charge as Advocate General, the remuneration of the post was increased arbitrarily? Is Shri Acharya more qualified than his predecessors? Therefore, the claim that the dispute was created to benefit lawyers is completely unacceptable,” he said.

Mohanty said that Acharya has lowered the dignity of the Advocate General’s office by making such controversial remarks. “As long as he holds this prestigious post, he must exercise caution in his conduct and utterances,” he added.

The Advocate General’s remarks were in line with the Mohan Majhi government’s position on the issue. It has in the past blamed the previous BJD government for the delay in the resolution of the issue pending with the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal formed by the Centre in March 2018 following a Supreme Court direction.

With Odisha and Chhattisgarh having BJP governments, it is being expected that the states may go for an “amicable solution” in water sharing dispute.

Last month, chief secretaries of Odisha and Chhattisgarh, along with senior water resources officials met to deliberate on the Mahanadi water issue. The meeting resolved that technical committees headed by the Engineers-in-chief of both states will have weekly meetings in September to identify and resolve critical issues. “Both States agreed to work sincerely and amicably towards a mutually beneficial resolution through dialogue and cooperation,” Odisha Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement.