Bhubaneswar, June 24 (UDN): A fresh political controversy has erupted in Odisha following reports that around Rs 2.41 crore was spent from the state exchequer on the visit of members of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal between February 26 and March 2, 2026, sparking questions over financial propriety and administrative justification.
According to information accessed through RTI documents, significant portions of the expenditure were allocated across various heads during the tribunal’s field inspection in Odisha. Around Rs 1.45 crore was reportedly spent on visits to the upper catchment areas of the Mahanadi, while an additional Rs 95.58 lakh was incurred for tours covering Puri, Chilika and other coastal regions.
Further details indicate that nearly Rs 85 lakh was paid to an event management agency for coordinating logistical arrangements during the tribunal’s visit. Separate expenditures include Rs 54 lakh for a two-day stay at a hotel in Jharsuguda and about Rs 5 lakh for local transportation arranged through a travel agency.
Sudarsan Das, convenor of the tribunal, has raised concerns over the scale and nature of the spending, urging Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, to provide a clear public explanation. He questioned the involvement of private agencies, premium accommodation arrangements, and alleged that the use of government guest houses could have significantly reduced costs. Das also indicated that some tribunal members may have been accompanied by family members during the visit.
The controversy has further intensified with questions being raised over the silence of Advocate General Pitambar Acharya, particularly in comparison to earlier objections raised during similar tribunal-related expenditures in 2023.
Environmental organisation Mahanadi Bachao Andolan has also demanded accountability, calling for a detailed audit of the expenditure and greater transparency in the use of public funds.
The state government has not yet issued an official response to the allegations. Further developments are awaited.
