The State Government must adopt measures to meet the twin challenges of achieving self sufficiency in production of certain basic food grains and vegetables and tackling the green house emission issue. The industrially resurgent Odisha is now facing two vital challenges and hence, immediate attention is required to tackle them. Price rise of the basic food items triggered by shortage in food grains and vegetables and pollution have been affecting normal life, causing much worry.
The recent steps taken by the Government are expected to go a long way in meeting the twin challenges. The renovation of canals to boost irrigation in the State under the Sabuja Odisha Mission is a measure long overdue. Without water, the mission to achieve greenery cannot be fulfilled. So renovation of canals and creating new canals and other irrigation infrastructure for development of irrigation potential is an urgent need.
In irrigation system, there are three types of canals, called main canals, medium canals and tributary canals. The main canals are generally linked with the principal river systems of the State. Odisha has many barrages which generally feed the main canals throughout the year. There are major barrages of Mahanadi river, which support Puri canals at Munduli, Taladanda and Machhagan canals at Jobra and Kendrapara and Pattamundai canals at Jagatpur. Similarly, the Naraj barrage which a bridge cum barrage acts as a storage of flood water to protect Cuttack city from inundation.
Besides, Kathajodi and Kuakhia rivers get water from the barrage perennially. Again there is a barrage at Hadagarh over Salandi river, which supports irrigation system of Salandi amd mainly coastal plains of Bhadrak.
There is also a barrage cum road over Baitarani River at Anand pur whose main function is preventing flood in the coastal plains by controlling the rapidity of stream flow. The barrages like Rengali and Samal over Bramhani river to support and maintain the canal systems are still on the construction stage.
Similarly, there is a barrage over river Baitarani near Akhuapada and a barrage over Bramhani at Jokadia. The function of every barrage is to support the canal systems of Odisha. Hence, if these barrages are maintained properly, they can meet the water need for agriculture.
Many canal systems of Odisha are now defunct due improper management of barrages and the canals. The whole purpose of insulation of barrages is to store water of the river water flow and release the same through canal systems.
The writer is an inhabitant of a village, which is situated near a tributary of Taladanda canals. The canal Taladanda is not maintained properly and scientifically. Both Taladanda and Machhagan were made during British regime in India. When the banks of the canals are used as footpath, the stream is used from the inception as natigation systems of country boats. The traders were transporting their goods, through the water channels of main canals. Now such practices are seldom seen because of development of road ways. Now canals which pass through cities towns and urban lands are used as sewage systems, where the dirty water is released through gutters, as a result of which they are spreading foul stench and becoming a cause of various diseases for the inhabitants living nearby. The example is the twin city of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
Similarly, canal bunds are now mostly used as defecation ground by the villagers, which pollute the atmosphere. The living standard and hygiene consciousness of the rural people need to be addressed to prevent the trend. A large section of people in the coastal plains, who are economically backward, use the canal water for their domestic needs. So the urban as well as the rural local authorities should be very particular in maintaining the canal systems. Management of water and water bodies should be added to the syllabus of the students up to HSC level.
Now the administration and management of water distribution is done through Pani Panchayats formed within the purview of the Pani Panchayat Act and Rule 2002-03. The whole water distribution process of the State is classified into major, medium and minor irrigation systems, apart from lift irrigation process. The Pani Panchayats are working as civil body for domestic as well as agricultural and economic management of water. In total, the State Government plans to create 21,447 Pani Panchayats in to cover of 18,32,393 hectares of lands for economic management of available water resources.
Odisha has high potentials of water resources as several rivers flow within the State. A single river can be compared with a tree. A tree has roots and branches. Similarly, a river has roots and branches. The tributaries can be compared with roots of a tree. All the tributaries have their own catchment areas and basins or valleys. Similarly, the tributaries have also sub-tributaries of their own. Again, a river has its own branches and sub- branches and also several branch lets. When scientific management of water resources and their aquatic and ecological wealth is done, the State can tackle the present food crisis. A river taming scheme should be prepared and engineered thoroughly and properly. The barrages or dams of required dimensions should be erected to store water in the upstream for irrigation and distribution of water through distributaries. Cultivation with application of modern technologies in cooperative mode can give the much required boost to the farm sector.
The Government and banks should be supportive to the farmers whereas farming infrastructure should be developed on priority basis. Agriculture should given the status and importance industries are getting these days.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist)