Thanks to less rainfall in upper catchment in S’garh this year

To facilitate irrigation in 4,261 hectares (ha) of Cumulative Cropped Area (CCA) which includes 2,630 ha in Kharif season and 1,631 ha in Rabi season, the Pitamahal Dam was designed in Sundergarh district.

Accordingly, the dam was completed in 1978 near Balanda village under Kuarmunda tehsil, 32 km from here. Pitamahal is a tributary of the Sankha which meets the Koel, upstream of the Brahmani near Panposh.

Sources said the total length of the dam including the spillway and the non-overflow section on both sides of the spillway is 660.20m. The overflow section ie. spillway length is 45.72m. length of Masonry Dam, which includes non-overflow section and spillway, is 115.83m. Earth Dam length is 498.65m.

The maximum height of the dam is 25.96m. There are two Head Regulators on both sides of the main river. The left head regulator is located in the masonry dam and non-overflow section having circular vent of 0.11m diameter. The right head regulator is located in the main earth dam and the vent size is 1.22m diameter.

For last many years it has been allegedly that the water in the reservoir has reached ‘dead level’ and vast portions of the canal system remain clogged in absence of repair and maintenance works. Many elected representatives of the lathikata block have been claiming that farmers at the tail-end of the canal system fail to get water. They said the situation has not improved despite repeated complaints.

Farmers of Chikatmati, lungei, Beldihi, Jhartarang, Vedvyas, San Nuagaon and other villages share similar views.

So considering the present condition of the canal system, more than 40 per cent of the 2,630 ha is unlikely to get water this time as the main canal at the mouth of the dam is clogged with silt and wild growth which prevent free flow of water. Moreover, at many places broken concrete base of main canal has choked trenches. The sub-minor canal system at various areas of Jhartarang panchayat has ceased to exist due to encroachments while at IDC area the minor canal has been damaged.

Assistant Engineer of Irrigation AK Panda said the water level of the dam is at ‘dead level’ and only after heavy rain, it would increase to meet the irrigation needs. He, however, claimed that regular repair and maintenance works are done and the clogged areas of the canal system would be cleaned shortly.

Adding to the woes this year’s less rain has become a concern for the Irrigation Department and the farmers. According to reports, by June the normal rainfall is at 237.4 mm in the district but the actual rainfall is just 75.56 mm. Similarly, so far in July the rain fall is much below than the average, reveals an Irrigation Department official here. The reservoir mainly depends upon the rainfall in lathikata and Rajgangpur area, where the rainfall is much less than the average. If the situation does not change, then it would be difficult in part of Pitamahal Dam to meet at least 40 per cent need of the farmers, he further added.