BHAWANIPATNA: There is not enough water in Indravati project to meet the irrigation needs of farmers of Kalahandi in the current kharif season.
The Agriculture Department had projected irrigation coverage from Indravati to 84,908 hectares and water was released on Monday. However, against the earmarked 50 cumax of water, only 10 cumax was released today to both left and right canals due to acute shortage of water in the reservoir.
The water table of the reservoir has substantially gone down due to lack of adequate rainfall in the catchment areas and siltation.
Water table near the intake of the tunnel is in lowest level now. The present water level is against 628.4 metres as against dead water level of 625 metres.
As per the system of this project, water of the reservoir is released through intake well and crossing through a 3934-metre long circular tunnel, water is released to the powerhouse through 4 penstocks (pipes) and 600 megawatt (MW) power is generated by 4 units.
After power generation, the water is released to Mangalpur barrage through tailrace channel and from Mangalpur barrage irrigation water is released by left and right canals for irrigation.
Unless there is power generation, irrigation is not possible as both are interrelated.
For release of 50 cumax water in right and left canals, power generation of 150 MW is required. Due to inadequate water in the reservoir, only 39 MW power was generated on June 29 and 24 MW on June 30. Therefore, only 10 cumax water could be released on Monday.
This apart, in the absence of regular maintenance and repair of both left and right canals, irrigation water fails to reach the tail end.
Even as canal systems under the project have been lying damaged or silted for a long time, no steps are being taken to repair them.
From 0 to 15 km stretch of the left canal, minor and sub-minor canals are severely dilapidated as a result of which, water spills out of the canal.
The state government had sanctioned Rs 340 crore for revamping, repair and modernisation of the damaged right canal a year back but work has not started as tender could not be finalised.