JHARSUGUDA: Never had people of Jharsuguda even in their wildest dreams thought of the mighty Mahanadi and its tributary Ib, both flowing from Chhattisgarh into the district, going dry. But the unthinkable has become a reality now, courtesy the Chhattisgarh Government.While both the perennial rivers have dried up, the villages situated along the Mahanadi now stare at an acute water crisis.
While BJD’s Mahanadi Surakhya Abhijan is all set to be flagged off by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik from Sukasoda, where the river enters Jharsuguda, on Wednesday, the Chhattisgarh Government has turned into a mute spectator to the impending crisis.
As the situation stands today, not a drop of water is being released by the neighbouring State from Kalma barrage, thereby rendering the Mahanadi completely dry.Located 12 km downstream from Kalma barrage is Sukhasoda village where the river enters Odisha. Before construction of Kalma barrage, people of the village were into farming during rabi season while others eked out a living by fishing in Mahanadi. Water scarcity was unheard of then.
However, ever since Kalma barrage was constructed, untold miseries have been forced upon the villagers with fishermen among the worst hit, said Anada Pradhan of Sukhasoda.Apart from Kalma on Mahanadi, the Chhattisgarh Government has also constructed barrages and anicuts on Maini river which has affected the flow in Ib which joins Mahanadi near Sapne ahead of Hirakud Dam Reservoir.
Experts claim that Ib will also meet the same fate as Mahanadi. Had Mahanadi Coalfields Limited not constructed sand barrages at Budhipadar and Deogaon in November last year, areas like Brajrajnagar and those in the vicinity of Jharusguda would have fought for every drop of water, they said.The drying of Ib has also affected villagers dependent on the river for irrigation and fishing, sources said. With the river staring at an untimely death, the villagers are looking for alternative options to sustain their families.
While villages on Odisha side are reeling under acute crisis, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has already made it clear that release of water was impossible during summer due to decrease in flow of Mahanadi. Water will only be released from Kalma barrage during monsoon when barrages swell and storage capacity is at optimum.