The eighth National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS) meeting was held at Burla among the senior officials of Chhattisgarh and Odisha Water Resources departments.
A number of Chief Engineers and other engineers of both the States held discussions on water management in the Mahanadi river for flood management and safety of various dam projects over the river.
The Water Resources departments of both the States under the direct supervision of the Chief Engineers would monitor the quantity of water in the Mahanadi during the peak periods to control flood in both the States, it was agreed upon.
“During the peak period in the Hirakud dam, the authorities of Chhattisgarh would detain water in their dams up to the maximum possible extent to control flood in Odisha. This would reduce pressure on the Hirakud reservoir,” informed Engineer in Chief (Odisha) Janaki Ballav Mahapatra.
Similarly, the Chhattisgarh counterparts were also requested not to obstruct water to the river during the non monsoon period, Mahapatra added.
The engineers present from Chhattisgarh agreed to pass on information as regards rule curve of their dams so that it would be easier for Odisha for better water monitoring in the Hirakud reservoir. They further agreed to meet quarterly to share information for better management of water in the two States where Mahanadi is treated to be the lifeline.
In a further important discussion, both the sides decided to study the health of various dams in Chhattisgarh and Odisha to ensure their safety and water holding capacity.
Notably, nearly 40 small dams and two/three major dams including the Minimata Bango dam project situated near Korba (Bilashpur) in the upstream of the Hirakud reservoir greatly influence the Hirakud dam.
Since the process of silting has emerged as a major problem for the water reservoirs, both sides gave thrust on soil conservation measures to curb the problem that reduces the water holding capacity of the reservoirs. The engineers of Odisha further agreed to make a hydrological review of Chhattisgarh.
“In the NCDS meeting, very meaningful and relevant discussions were made that would surely yield results in future to monitor water more effectively including curbing of wastage,” said Raipur Mahanadi water project Chief Engineer Sanjay Bhagawat.
Chief Engineer Dam Safety Prasanna Kumar Mohanty, Chief Engineer upper Mahanadi basin, Burla Biswajit Mohnaty, Chief Engineer PP&F Kumud Ranjan Acharya, engineers Gopal Prasad Ray, RK Panda , Y Parida and AK Choudhury took part in the discussion and shared their ideas and concerns with their Chhattisgarh counterparts that included Chief Engineer Minimata Bango dam project, Bilashpur Anil Dube, SE Mahanadi project Rudri KS Dhru, SE Minimata Bango dam project Korba SK Pathak, AE Minimata Bango dam project Bilashpur AK Badhie and AE Mahanadi project Raipir Naresh Tripathy.