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REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
The Gazette of India
CG-DL-E-22082026-275673
EXTRAORDINARY
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii)
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
No. 4400]
NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2026/SHRAVAN 28, 1948
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
(Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 10th August, 2026
S.O. 4580(E).—Whereas, the Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal (hereinafter called the said Tribunal) was
constituted vide notification number S.O.465 (E), dated the 24th February, 2010 under section 4 of the Inter-State
River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (33 of 1956) (hereinafter called the said Act) for the adjudication of the water
disputes regarding Inter-State river Vansadhara, and river valley thereof between the State of Odisha and State of
Andhra Pradesh;
And whereas, the said Tribunal submitted its report and decision under sub-section (2) of section 5 of the said
Act on the 13th September, 2017;
And whereas, the State of Odisha made further reference to the said Tribunal under the proviso to sub-
section (3) of section 5 of the said Act on the 11th December, 2017 and the Central Government made further
reference to the said Tribunal on the 12th December, 2017 seeking clarification/explanation in respect of the
decision and findings recorded in the Report of the Tribunal dated the 13th September, 2017;
And whereas, the Tribunal gave an Order dated 05.04.2019 whereby the Tribunal had directed that in order
to identify 106 acres of land (to be acquired by State of Odisha), an exercise of the survey for identification and
preparation of the map for 106 acres of land should be carried out through a topographical survey adhering to the
accepted norms using Total Station method;
And whereas, the Government of Odisha filed I.A. No.1 of 2019 before the Tribunal. The Tribunal gave its
Order in the said I.A. on 23.09.2019 regarding preparation of the map of the area after identification of 106 acres of
land required for various structures;
And whereas, the said Tribunal submitted its further Report under sub-section (3) of section 5 of the said
Act on the 21st June, 2021;
And whereas, the State of Odisha has filed Special Leave Petition (Civil) [SLP (C)] No. 8030/2018 against
the report and decision of the said Tribunal dated the 13th September, 2017, SLP (C) No. 27930/2019 against the
Order dated the 23rd September, 2019 passed by the said Tribunal in the I.A. No. 1 of 2019 and SLP (C) No.
15143/2021 against the further Report dated the 21st June, 2021 forwarded by the said Tribunal. These SLPs are
pending under consideration before the Hon'ble Supreme Court;
And whereas, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 6 of the said Act, the Central
Government, subject to the outcome of SLPs pending in Hon'ble Supreme Court, published the Final Order and
decision of the Tribunal, as contained in the aforesaid further Report, vide notification number. S.O.1666 (E), dated
the 30th March, 2026;
And whereas, Clause X of the said Final Order provides for setting up of a Supervisory Committee and
Clause X (A) thereof provides for Review Authority for implementing the decision of the said Tribunal.
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 6A of the said Act, the Central Government
hereby constitutes Supervisory Committee and Review Authority for implementing the decisions of the Tribunal.
2. The Supervisory Committee shall consist of :-
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| 1.| Chief Engineer, Mahanadi and Eastern River Organisation (MERO), CWC, Bhubaneswar | Chairman; |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| 2.| Chief Engineer, North Coast, Visakhapatnam, Water Resources Department, Andhra Pradesh | Member; |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| 3.| Chief Engineer, Interstate Water Issues, Secha Sadan, Bhubaneswar, Odisha | Member; |
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| 4.| Superintending Engineer (Coordination), Mahanadi and Eastern River Organisation (MERO), CWC, | Member |
| | Bhubaneswar | Secretary.|
+---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
3. The Supervisory Committee shall have following functions and powers: -
(i) to supervise the operation of the gates, of the Head Regulator of Flood Flow Canal of Side Weir
complex, including the closure of the same;
(ii) to ensure that total drawal of water through Head Regulator of Flood Flow Canal of Side Weir
complex, during the months of June to November in any year shall not in any case exceed 8 TMC,
constituting a part of 50% share of water of the State of Andhra Pradesh;
(iii) to ensure that the gates of the Head Regulator of the Flood Flow Canal of Side Weir complex, shall
open on 1st June and close on 1st December or earlier as soon as the total drawal of water equals to 8 TMC
every year and the gates shall so remain closed till 31st May of next year;
(iv) to maintain the record of the flow upstream of the Side Weir and also of the flow passing through the
Head Regulator of Flood Flow Canal. When the Flood Flow Canal is operational, it may be ensured that the
flow downstream of the Side Weir is equal to or more than 4000 cusecs;
(v) to make periodical survey, as it deems necessary, for assessing aggradation and degradation in the
river near the Side Weir and take appropriate steps thereto so as to ensure that the bed level of the Side Weir
at all times shall be as per its original design.
Original profile of the river and lands adjacent to the proposed Neradi Barrage may be taken just
before the start of the civil works of the proposed Neradi Barrage. As the Side Weir at Katragada has been
operationalised, the present profile of the river and lands adjacent to the Side Weir at Katragada may be
taken as per directions of the Supervisory Committee (if in place by that time), otherwise, by carrying out
survey by a joint survey team of the officers of the States of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh under the
supervision and guidance of Central Water Commission;
(vi) to keep a close watch on the river behavior and to ensure that if there be any silting or sedimentation
in front of the Side Weir at Katragada or upstream near the Neradi Barrage, the same shall be got cleared, as
and when required, through the State Government of Andhra Pradesh;
(vii) to ensure that the Side Weir is totally plugged and made completely non-functional immediately
after commissioning of the Neradi Barrage.
The plugging of the Side Weir shall be done at the location where the river bank has been cut and
the side weir has been constructed. The plugging may be done to the height upto the level of the original
natural banks of the river;
(viii) to supervise the regulation of flows from Neradi Barrage so as to ensure-
(a). that the water from Vansadhara river at Neradi Barrage is withdrawn by the State of Andhra Pradesh and
the State of Odisha during the period from 1st of June to 30th of November every year;
(b). that during the period from 1st December to 31st May every year, entire water reaching Neradi Barrage,
flows down the river for use by both the States;
(ix) to visit the flood affected areas of Odisha, if any, impacted due to the backwater of Neradi Barrage
beyond its pool level and make assessment for giving recommendations regarding compensation to be paid
to the flood affected families/persons. For this purpose, the Committee may co-opt any member(s) as it
deems fit.
4. The Committee shall select the place for its office which shall be provided by the State of Andhra Pradesh.
5. The expenses for the maintenance of office and all expenses for conducting the monitoring activity shall be
borne by the State of Andhra Pradesh.
6. Review Authority:-
(1). The Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation,
Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India Shall be the Single Member Review Authority.
(2). The resolution/direction of the Supervisory Committee shall be reviewable on application of either of the party
States and the decision of the Review Authority on the review petition, if any preferred, shall be final and binding
on both the States.
(3). The Review Authority shall give an opportunity of hearing to the Party States to the Review Petition, before
taking any decision in the matter and if necessary, call for the records and comments of the Supervisory Committee
on the Review Petition.
(4). The decision of the Review Authority shall be recorded in writing.
7. This issue with the approval of the Competent Authority.
[F. No. N-60021/1/2021-BM Section MOWR]
PRADEEP KUMAR AGRAWAL, Jt. Secy.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.
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