Odisha Govt Ties Up With IIT Guwahati To Study Brahmani River For Rejuvenation

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has tied up with IIT, Guwahati for conducting a physical and mathematical modelling study for the rejuvenation of Brahmani river delta region.

An MoU has been signed between engineer-in-chief Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty and Prof Sibasish Dutta from IIT, Guwahati for the comprehensive study, sources said.

Considered the second largest river in Odisha, Brahmani flows through Sundargarh, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Jajpur and Kendrapada districts in the state, which has the maximum 57 per cent of the river’s catchment area. While a dam has been constructed in Rengali, there is a barrage at Samal. It is about 35 km downstream of Rengali.

The water released from the Samal barrage as well as from the intermediate catchment flows into the deltaic area at Pankapal. Then it bifurcates into two arms, Brahmani to the right and Kharsuan to the left. Kharsuan river finally confluences with Brahmani at Madhusudanpur and joins Baitarani ultimately meeting the Bay of Bengal at Dhamra.

The Brahmani delta is the site of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. Since Kharsuan gets a major chunk of flow because pf a higher level of the bed of Brahmani, it leads to continuous siltation. It gets reduced flow even during a medium flood and non-monsoon periods.

The government seeks to ensure flow in both rivers by taking up rejuvenation works through the construction of integrated in-stream storage at Jenapur and Jokadia, sources said.

Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu was quoted by TNIE as saying that the collaboration with IIT, Guwahati will help in technical study in connection with the construction of proposed in-stream storage in the rivers which will ultimately ensure water availability to the people of the area.

According to Development commissioner and additional chief secretary of the department Anu Garg, the MoU seeks to facilitate a proper study of the siltation in a river system while taking steps for rejuvenation works through the construction of storage facilities.