Declining Water Level Of Hirakud Reservoir Raises Concern

Sambalpur: The Hirakud Dam authorities have expressed grave concern over the alarming decline of water level in the reservoir.

According to the chief engineer of the Hirakud Dam Jyotirmay Rath, the present water level in the reservoir has come down to 627 feet while as per the rule curve, the water level should be 630 feet on October 31.

Reports said that due to less rainfall in the upper catchments of Mahanadi, the Chhattisgarh government has closed 64 of 66 gates of Kalama barrage and the discharge of water from the two gates is only 3500 cusecs per second. If the neighbouring state closes down the two gates during summer, the inflow of water to the reservoir will be completely stopped which will severely affect irrigation, hydropower and the energy sectors of Odisha.

“If the Chhattisgarh government does not open more gates of the Kalama barrage, there will be no water in the reservoir in the coming days especially during summer,” Rath pointed out.

The locals living along the reservoir area have urged the state government to immediately resume talks with the Chhattisgarh government on this issue.

On the other hand, the Chhattisgarh Water Resources minister Brij Mohan Agrawal has refuted the allegation. “The Chhattisgarh government is not responsible for the decline in the water level of the Hirakud reservoir. The fact is that the inflow of Mahanadi water has considerably reduced due to less rainfall in the upper catchments this year,” he told the media.