Inflow of water from Chhattisgarh to Hirakud reservoir is reducing drastically. Situation has reached such a pass that nearly six inch water is decreasing in a day that has put the dam authorities in a difficult situation.
The Kalama dam authorities in Chhattisgarh have closed all the gates enabling zero inflow to the Hirakud reservoir. On March 31, the inflow to the reservoir from Chhattisgarh was only 98 cusec and it was 208 on April 1. Surprisingly, the inflow was zero on April 2, a dam official said on the condition of anonymity.
After completion of the Kalama project in Chhattisgarh in 2016, the normal flow to Hirakud reservoir in the non-monsoon season has been reduced by almost by 78 per cent. But due to Kalama and rest other projects in the upper catchments in CG, there has been alarming decrease in the inflow during monsoon also to Hirakud reservoir that threatens very purpose of this multipurpose dam, the official said.
The inflow in the non monsoon seasons to the Hirakud was 1.450 million acre feet in 2013-14, 1.355 acre million feet in 2014-15, and only 0.907 million acre feet in 2015-16.
The situation in monsoon season was also in no way better. It was only 11.871 million acre feet in 2017 which is much less in comparison to the previous two years.
“After formation of water tribunal for the Mahanadi, the CG Government is working on war footing basis to close every source of inflow to Hirakud by expediting its barrages and dams since there has been no ban on the present constructions.
And if this continues unabated, the Mahanadi will be just a dry river in rainy season also,” apprehended many other officials of the dam.
They suggested the Odisha Government to take shelter of court of law only in the matter since getting justice from the Centre or CG Government is just next to impossible for sheer political reason.