BHAWANIPATNA: The Indravati Hydro Electric Project released water in its left and right canals for the current kharif season on Monday. In each canal, 5 cumax water was released which will subsequently be increased as per requirement. As per schedule, water will also be released in the Indravati Lift canal on July 7.
Kharif irrigation plan for Kalahandi district this year is 2,36,505 hectare (ha) which, sources said, is 45,742 ha more than last year. Of these, 1,12,883 ha will be irrigated by the Indravati project including left, right and lift canals. While the left canal has optimum bearing capacity of 70 cumax and will irrigate 59,242 ha benefitting 221 villages, the right anal with 50 cumax capacity will provide water to 28,347 ha across 128 villages. Likewise, the lift canal will irrigate 25,274 ha in 88 villages.
With water release on the day, Indravati project staff and Agriculture officials also started week-long awareness drive on utilisation of irrigation facility. For annual maintenance, power generation by the project was stopped on the day but later resumed in the evening. Chief district agriculture officer Prasanta Kumar Behera said, this season, 45,742 ha extra land will be irrigated which will help improve productivity.
Steps are being taken to spread awareness and train farmers in new practices for better harvest.Chief construction engineer of the Indravati project Bibhu Charan Mishra said water will be released to all ayacut areas till November 5 and well distribution of canal water will be ensured.