Tribunal to settle Mahanadi river dispute

The Cabinet has approved setting up of a Tribunal to settle the dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over the Mahanadi River.

The Tribunal will determine water sharing among these States on the basis of the overall availability of water in the complete Mahanadi basin, contribution of each State, utilisation of water resources in each State and the potential for future development, an official statement said.

The Tribunal will consist of a Chairman and two other members nominated by the Chief Justice of India and will be either judges of Supreme Court or High Court. “Further, services of two Assessors who are water resources experts having experience in handling sensitive water-related issues will be provided to advise the Tribunal in its proceedings,” the statement added.

The Cabinet also gave its ex-post facto nod to a film co-production agreement between India and Israel. According to an official statement, the co-production agreement will lead to mutual exchange of art and culture, generate employment and create better understanding among the people of both the countries as well as on various aspects of film making.