Odisha: Water flow reduces in Kolab, Nagavali rivers

BHUBANESWAR: Not only Mahanadi, the non-monsoon flow of water in other rivers of the State including Kolab and Nagavali in Southern Odisha has reduced over the years.The flow of water in Kolab has reduced by 53.22 per cent (pc) over the years affecting irrigation in the area. According to statistics of the State Government, flow of water in Kolab river between 2000 and 2007 was 5107.43 million cubic meter (MCM) per year. Flow of water in the river on an average per year between 2007 to 2017 was 2389.1 million cubic meter. Over a ten-year period, flow of water has come down to 46.78 per cent in 2017 of what it was in 2007.

Similarly, flow has come down in Nagavali river. As per official statistics, average flow in the river per year was 476.10 million cubic feet between 1991 to 1999. However, the average flow came down to 464.9 million cubic meter between 1999 and 2014. The flow has come down by 2.35 pc.

The issue was cropped up in the recently concluded monsoon session of the Assembly. In a written reply to a question from Tara Prasad Bahinipati (Congress), Water Resources Minister Niranjan Pujari said steps are being taken to augment flow of water in these rivers by undertaking conservation measures.

Embankments are being constructed on tributaries, branch rivers and streams flowing into these rivers as a water conservation measure. The Minister said the State Government has set up a water conservation fund in which industries using water from these rivers deposit `2.5 crore per annum. The fund is utilised for construction of medium and small river embankments and barrages, he added.

Drying rivers

Flow of water in Kolab river between 2000 and 2007 was 5107.43 MCM per year
46.78 % water flow come down over a ten-year period
Average flow in Nagavali river per year was 476.10 million cubic feet in 1991-99
The flow has come down by 2.35 pc