Chhattisgarh dams: Mahanadi ecology under threat

The Mahanadi is a life support system of the entire river-borne biodiversities of Chhattisgarh and Odisha because this is a major river system of both the States. Although this river originates in Chhatisgarh, the major plateau and peninsular plains it covers are within the State of Odisha.

The river passes through vast coastal plain tracts of Odisha covering 15 revenue districts. If the total geo- hydrology of the river is considered, it will be noticed that it covers nearly 900 km distance in Odisha. The river's catchment areas cover a total of 1,40,716 sqkm. Nearly 70,000 sqkm of catchment area falls within Odisha, which is about 50 per cent of the total catchment areas of the river. This river has total 15 major tributaries out of which 12 come within Chhatisgarh and only three tributaries are within the State of Odisha.

But there are 33 sub tributaries of the three main tributaries, which form the geo- hydrological net within Odisha.  The tributaries and sub-tributaries of a river mainly supply water to the mainstream of a river. In practice, the 12 tributaries of Mahanadi supply most water input to Mahanadi basin from the Amarkantaka plateau of Chhatisgarh which the Chhatisgarh Governemnt wants to monopolise. 

Again Mahanadi has 20 natural distributaries or branch and sub-branch rivers, which entirely flow within Odisha. The question of natural distributaries comes when a river moves in a plain land specially in coastal plain. The delta is the mother of distributaries. This is a most fertile alluvial  flat land, where the main stream of Mahanadi splits into several distributaris.

The biodiversities of the region is very fertile, which provide versatile utilities to animal as well as plant kingdoms for their sustainable development. This tract is equivalent to the Indo-Gangetic plains. If this river water is arrested at several points for commercial, specially for industrial uses by the Raman Singh, Government of Chhatisgarh, the fate of Odisha coast is uncertain.

The people responsible for arresting such life support systems should be prosecuted under the provisions of law of the lands of Indian union. The State Government of Odisha should file criminal case against the State Government of Chhatisgarh in the higher judiciary for such unpardonable offence, which has been committed deliberatly. The international provisions also support this action. Depriving Odisha of legitimate share of water by the Chhatisgarh Government would not only create water crisis for drinking and irrigation purposes but would lead to an ecological disaster, particularly within the coastal zone/coastal plains of Odisha, which is quite unlawful. 

The water being a life support system, its priority of uses is established in national and international coventions. First of all, the drinking water of man and other animals should be met without any compromise. Second is the agriculture, which is known as modified ecological systems and includes sustainable agriculture, tree farming and aquaculture.

During the Hirakud Dam plan, it was decided that Odisha would use two third share of water resources of Mahanadi and rest one third water would be used by Madhya Pradesh. Now Chhatisgarh s a separate State carved out of Madhy Pradesh. The larger command areas for agro-economic culture of Odisha squarely depend on the river water of Mahanadi as compared to Chhatisgarh State. In such a  case, the State Government of Chhatisgarh wants to hijack the water share of Odisha unlawfully and trying to grab a lion share of water. Its main commitment is  to provide water to different mega industries like Vilai steel plant, Balco, SECl, CSEB etc. The State would get  Rs 800 crore water tax annually from the firms. Such type of leasing out of Mahanadi water has also got the approval of the Central Government. Otherwise an inter State river can not be monopolised by one State.

 The fate of the Hirakud Dam has become uncertain. Moreover, sources say the Chhatisgarh Government has made nearly 50 masonary check dams in different tributaries of the Mahanadi and is now constructing two major mega hydro project over main stream of Mahanadi. This would certainly bring ecological disaster not only in Odisha State, but also within the State of Chhatisgarh itself.  It is surprising how the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change permitted the State Government of Chhatisgarh togo ahead with the projects which would create eological havoc. 

The Mahanadi based ecological systems of Odisha is diversfied. Ecological systems of coastal plains, where the distributary rivers and rivulets criss-cross the entire coastal plains and major wetlands of various flora and fauna are found. The coastal eco-system is very rich and sustains the livelihoods of crores of pepole. A sustinable bio-climate is always assured through this measaure river system of Odisha.

The estuarine ecological systems of river mouth of Mahanadi is very rich in diversified mangrove flora and fauna including rich aviaries. This is the land of rookeries of many reptiles and birds and also fishes. This eco-system controls the regional climate of this tract, and saves the sea-coast from sea erosion. The massive flora and fauna of this region sustains the livelihoods of lakhs of people. 

The wetland ecological systems of Ansupa, Chilika and artificial lake like Hirakud are also of great significance to Odisha. Ansupa is a fresh-water lake formed by river Mahanadi. The flora and fauna of this fresh water lake is quite unique. Similarly, the lagoon eco-system of Chilika is quite different from other fresh water eco-systems. The unique flora and fauna including sea-mammals are sustainably reared by this oceanic wetland. This is also a land of rookeries and nests of several reptiles and birds. 

Again the artificial lake like Hirakud is at present accomodating several migratory birds of foreign lands, including residential birds and animals. Besides the above eco-systems, the Satakashia gorge ecological system is quite different from others, which is very much reputed for Gharial fish eating crocodiles. What would be the fate of such ecological wealth if Mahanadi water is hijacked on the upstream is a vital uestion now.

(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist.