JEYPORE: Low water level in the Telengiri dam has left farmers in the project’s tail end in distress as paddy transplantation for the kharif season has been badly hit.
Telengiri project was releasing water on trial basis since 2019 and only started full-fledged operation since July 12 this year. However, till now, irrigation water has not reached over 1,000 ha land in tail end villages including Takiguda, Badigaon , Mandiabandh, Semela, Gadavaguda, Kumuli, Gumunda, Bhumiyaguda, Katharagada Mandiabandh and Badiguda.
In these areas, transplanting process has come to a grinding halt and farmers are desperately waiting for rain to gear up agriculture activities as canal irrigation has failed to supply water. Located at Ranigad, the Telengiri project irrigates about 9,600 hectare (ha) land across 30 panchayats in Jeypore and Borrigumma blocks. But scanty rainfall since onset of monsoon has affected collection of water in catchment areas and consequent low levels of dam capacity. As per official information, deficit rainfall in the dam’s catchment area has resulted in low live water storage in the reservoir with only 8.3 per cent available for irrigation. Last year, catchment areas of Telengiri received 600 mm rainfall but this year only 377 mm has been recorded.
Live storage of the dam stands at 566.43 hectare-metre (HAM) as against 1,002.68 HAM in July last year. Because of this, dam authorities have released 6 cumec water in the canals against required 9 cumec for full flow to reach tail end points. They are also releasing water in a phased manner through five canals instead of 13 sub canals, official sources said.
Telengiri in-charge Executive Engineer BB Mishra said despite less water in the reservoir, ground level staff are trying best to release water in all ayacut areas. Meanwhile, Upper Kolab Additional Chief Engineer CS Mishra, reviewed the irrigation problem of Telengiri project with senior level officials.