River Mahanadi seems to be in great news in Odisha politics for some time. It may be of interest to note that the Mahanadi coastal canal system was built soon after the Odisha famine of 1866. Hirakud multipurpose Dam project came immediately after Independence. The coastal canal system was upgraded in 80-90s. During BJD rule, since 2000. however, a few bridges over the River in coastal region have come up but little seems to have been done on irrigation, flood control and hydro electricity front using Mahanadi water though water of the River has been given to many industries. Naveen Government should come up with a white-paper indicating its performance on Mahanadi till date since it came to power. We should place facts, not market emotions, for proper appreciation of any issue.
In 1964, the first competent project proposal was designed for flood control, irrigation and power generation with a Dam at Tikarpara. The Project envisaged full utilization of available water of the river. The proposed Reservoir would have led to submersion of 1200 villages, three towns and extensive forest resource. Even though foundation stone for the project was laid by the Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru, the project had to be abandoned mainly due to the inevitable massive submersion of human habitations. The extent of submersion could have been reduced by lowering the height of the dam. This would have reduced the hydro power generating capacity of 2000 MW substantially.
Thereafter, another project was designed in 1985 to have a Dam at Manibhadra. This proposal had kept in tact the flood control and irrigation component of the Tikarpara Project but was to have a power generation capacity of only 960 MW. There would have been submersion of 273 villages, two towns and much less forest area. Foundation stone for the Project had been laid by the Chief Minister but the project could not take off due to resistance of the people who were to be affected.
A satisfactory engineering solution to the flood-problem in the delta had not been found till 1999.
Mahanadi delta is the largest river delta in peninsular India and is home to about a third of the state’s population. Every year crores of rupees are spent on flood protection. After every major flood, government spends a big sum of money on relief and rehabilitation. Should such ad hoc response be accepted as the most humane way of tackling the flood issue in the Mahanadi delta or the government should perform its obligatory responsibility of distress removal?
It is ironic that the state government keeps demanding from the centre a huge amount of money for relief and rehabilitation when the state reels under the fury of flood and would not take up the Subalaya project which would bring permanent remedy.
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The existing infrastructure for flood moderation of the Mahanadi is the Hirakud Reservoir which has a modest live storage capacity of 3.9 million acre feet against the flood volume of 20 million acre feet of a typical flood in the Mahanadi. Therefore the huge population in the delta of the river continues to be vulnerable to the ravages of flood till now.
In 1964, the first competent project proposal was designed for flood control, irrigation and power generation with a Dam at Tikarpara. The Project envisaged full utilization of available water of the river. The proposed Reservoir would have led to submersion of 1200 villages, three towns and extensive forest resource. Even though foundation stone for the project was laid by the Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru, the project had to be abandoned mainly due to the inevitable massive submersion of human habitations. The extent of submersion could have been reduced by lowering the height of the dam. This would have reduced the hydro power generating capacity of 2000 MW substantially.
Thereafter, another project was designed in 1985 to have a Dam at Manibhadra. This proposal had kept in tact the flood control and irrigation component of the Tikarpara Project but was to have a power generation capacity of only 960 MW. There would have been submersion of 273 villages, two towns and much less forest area. Foundation stone for the Project had been laid by the Chief Minister but the project could not take off due to resistance of the people who were to be affected.
A satisfactory engineering solution to the flood-problem in the delta had not been found till 1999.
At Chiplima, two more hydro electric turbines could have been installed years ago. This has not been done and water continues to flow down. In Hirakud irrigation network, tail-end farmers continue to suffer. The command area presents a picture of both waterlogging and scarcity. It is unthinkable that activity upstream of Hirakud would affect the Project's effectiveness. Mahanadi Delta irrigation cannot be affected by upstream activity north/west of Hirakud either. Tributaries of Mahanadi down Hirakud, contribute good amount of water for Delta. Why then is this sudden hype about Mahanadi water? India's federal structure is best served by mutual informed discussion; not by shrill voice raising about imaginary fear.
Subalaya project report on the Mahanadi was prepared to ensure total flood control of the Mahanadi besides irrigation ( 140,000 ha). The proposed Subalaya barrage is designed to reduce the maximum flood peak of 17.4 lakh cusecs to only 8.7 lakh cusecs at the head of the Mahanadi delta through dynamic storage from the conservation level of 54.9 meter to the maximum level of 77 meters and back again to the conservation level within a period of six days and six hours. In this situation, 73 villages would remain below the flood level for a maximum period of a little over six days. It may be mentioned here that Cuttack city remains below the high flood level for considerably longer periods almost every year behind the protective earthen embankments.
It is surprising that such a useful project has not been acted upon by the BJD Government. This would have meant total control of flood in Mahanadi Delta
It is ironic that the state government keeps demanding from the centre a huge amount of money for relief and rehabilitation when the state reels under the fury of flood and would not take up the Subalaya project which would bring permanent remedy.
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