JEYPORE/BARIPADA: Incessant rain for the last couple of days has led to an increase in the water level of the dam reservoirs of the Upper Kolab and Telengiri projects in the Koraput district.
The water level in the Upper Kolab reservoir has reached 850.06 metres against the full capacity of 858 metres as rains continue to lash the catchment areas of Koraput, Semiliguda and Nandapur blocks. Sources said around 277 mm of rainfall has been recorded in these areas in July so far.
Similarly, the water level in the Telengiri dam reservoir reached 625.25 metres against the full capacity of 633 metres. The catchment areas of the dam received around 335 mm of rainfall in July. Sources said around 42,000 hectares of ayacut areas are covered under the irrigation system of the Upper Kolab project. Similarly, 9,900 hectares of land are irrigated under the Telengiri project.
A senior engineer of the Upper Kolab project said the water level in both reservoirs will further increase as rains are continuing in the catchment areas. In the Mayurbhanj district, communication from Udala to Balasore and Badasahi was affected after a temporary bridge over the Deo river at Kainsari Chowk was washed away due to rains on Thursday night.
The makeshift bridge was constructed as a temporary arrangement after the nearby PWD bridge developed cracks. Assistant executive engineer of PWD, Udala Damodar Pradhan said a proposal for a high-level bridge has already been placed before the government. After it gets approval, construction work will start by November.