Mahanadi is for both Chhattisgarh and Odisha, says CM Raman Singh

Chief Minister Raman Singh, who is in Delhi for a meeting on the Mahanadi issue said that the river was for everyone. "Mahanadi is for both Chhattisgarh and Odisha, there is no controversy involved," Singh told ANI on Saturday.

Odisha and Chhattisgarh are at loggerheads over sharing waters of the Mahanadi River. Odisha has accused Chhattisgarh of not consulting it while building seven to eight barrages on the Mahanadi saying that it is affecting the flow of the river.  The Chhattisgarh Government has questioned Odisha's objection to the barrages, saying the barrages are not at all hampering the flow.  

There has been a demand from Odisha to set up of a tribunal to look into the issue of water-sharing.

The tripartite meeting between the Centre, Odisha and Chattisgarh over the Mahanadi water issue will be held in the national capital on Saturday.  The meeting will be chaired by Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati.  Chief Ministers of both the states will also be present.