The Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh has flared up again after the October 1 meeting chaired by Amit Shah. Here is what the fight is about.

The Mahanadi rises in Chhattisgarh and flows into Odisha, where the Hirakud dam, one of Asia’s longest earthen dams, depends on its water. Odisha says barrages built upstream in Chhattisgarh are cutting the flow that reaches its fields, cities and industries. Chhattisgarh says its projects are legal and within its share.

The Centre set up a water disputes tribunal in 2018 to adjudicate the matter. Tribunal cases in India often take years, and this one is still being heard.

Why does it matter now? Water sharing decides crop patterns, drinking water supply and industrial growth in both states. With the Home Minister personally reviewing the issue, the Centre is signalling that it wants movement, not just more hearings. The tribunal’s final award, when it comes, will be binding on both states.