After Mahanadi, Brahmani faces threat from Jharkhand
ROURKELA: Even as Odisha’s dispute with Chhattisgarh over Mahanadi remains unresolved, another major river __ Brahmani __ is facing threat from neighbouring Jharkhand which has finalised at least five hydel power projects on tributaries Sankh and Koel.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Friday approved Request for Proposal (RFP) to produce 126 mw electricity from 14 power projects on PPP mode, according to a release of I&PR department of Jharkhand Government.
Sources said the proposed projects, which would affect water flow to Brahmani, are located at Manoharpur (8 mw) on Koel and Karo, Basia (9 mw) on Koel, Thethaitangar (24 mw) on Shankh, Kurdega (19 mw) on Sankh, Raidih and Gumla district (23 mw) on Sankh.
Similarly, the project at Torpa (13 mw) on Karo will indirectly affect Brahmani as Koel is fed by Karo and the proposal for Hundru (11 mw) will bring down inflow to Subrnarekha river in Keonjhar district.
River Sankh, originating in Gumla district of Jharkhand, flows to Chhattisgarh, returns to Simdega district in Jharkhand, enters Tarkera of Birmitrapur in Sundargarh, reaches Mandira dam near Kansbahal and finally meets Koel at Vedvyas to form Brahmani. Similarly, Koel, originating near Ranchi in Jharkhand, is fed by many rivulets and flows through Jharkhand’s Manoharpur, enters Sundargarh near Jareikela and meets Sankh at Vedvyas.
In recent times, Sankh, Koel and Brahmani flowing near Rourkela remain dry except during monsoon. Under the circumstances, if Jharkhand goes ahead with its power projects, Brahmani will go totally dry, the sources said. When contacted, authorities of the Water Resources Department (WRD) in Sundargarh district failed to furnish immediate information about river systems in the district.
Regional Director of Central Water Commission Anil Pradhan and WRD’s Investigation Division Executive Engineer Soumendra Pradhan did not respond to repeated calls.