Kalma Barrage row: Water scarcity hits Odisha farmers as Chhattisgarh benefits

Farmers in Odisha are grappling with severe water shortages due to restricted releases from the Kalma Barrage in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. The decision to hold back a substantial amount of water has left Odisha’s lower catchment, particularly the Mahanadi riverbed, dry, impacting the livelihoods of locals, especially those depending on agriculture.

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Chhattisgarh is witnessing agricultural prosperity with ample water supply supporting its flourishing crops, while in contrast, the parts of Odisha resemble a dusty wasteland as the scorching summer intensifies the water crisis.

Unfair sharing of Mahanadi river water: Locals

According to local sources, despite Kalma Barrage having 66 gates, water is predominantly channelled through just one, which is often halted when deemed necessary. This has resulted in the typical seasonal decline of water flow in the Mahanadi, affecting agriculture and biodiversity across Jharsuguda district and adjoining regions.

Efforts to resolve this inter-state water dispute are still underway, with dialogues stuck in tribunals since the previous BJD-led government. A recent meeting in March between Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Bhubaneswar highlighted a preference for negotiations over legal battles.

Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari expressed similar views, stating that officials were dispatched to directly assess the water situation. Plans for a water conservation roadmap in the Mahanadi region are underway, official sources said.

“If the Mahanadi remains dry (on the Odisha side), all river-based activities will get immensely affected. If agricultural farming is not there, Western Odisha would become non-existent. It is a matter of grave concern and could be too serious if the current (BJP-led) government takes the issue lightly like the previous government,” some local intelligentsia said.

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“We are keen to preserve Mahanadi River water and to construct small barrages without any displacement of local people, and utilise rainwater for irrigation and hydro-electricity production purposes rather than letting it flow down into the sea,” Minister Pujari stated.

“We are preparing a roadmap to resolve the water shortage crisis,” the Minister added.