Tag: Mahanadi

As per official reports, Odisha has sought four weeks' time to submit the common information format. The prayer was made on the first hearing on Tuesday after the Tribunal’s field visit to Chhattisgarh and Odisha recently.

Though the team safely rescued the elderly man, they had a tough time to spot the youth as he hid near some bushy areas for long time. Later, he jumped into the river.

The state of Chhattisgarh has once again poured oil on the raging fire of its dispute with Odisha over sharing of Mahanadi river water. The neighboring state on Friday released excess water from its Kalma barrage by opening all the gates of the dam. The development meanwhile has sparked fear over rise in water level of Hirakud dam in the downstream of the river in Odisha.

With the release of the water, the inflow of water in Hirakud stood at 71000 cusecs at around 9 am today. The water level of Hirakud is 603.50 ft and 1.18 lakh cusecs of water is entering Mahanadi through the Kalma barrage.

As per the schedule, a nine-member team of the tribunal along with 24 officials from both States will visit Chilika and its mouth region to take stock of the situation.

It was the third day of their visit and they visited OPGC’s Ib Thermal Power House and the proposed Ib dam project site at Sundargarh.

As per reports, on the third day of its second phase field visit, the tribunal examined the barrage and its capacity to hold water. It also reviewed the water level during the monsoon and non-monsoon seasons and how much water the barrage releases into Odisha.

Speculations are rife that, Chhattisgarh might have opened the gates of the barrage during non-monsoon season fearing that the tribunal’s decision may go in favour of Odisha once it spots the dry conditions of Mahanadi in places like Subarnapur, Nayagarh and Boudh.

Mishra’s statement came in response to Baghel’s statement - Mahanadi originates from Chhattisgarh and the entire water goes to Odisha.

According to Baghel, the Mahanadi river originated from Chhattisgarh and the matter should not have reached the Tribunal.

There has been a constant drop in the water level downstream of Hirakud Dam. Most of the riverbed has completely dried up.

Senior Congress leader, Narasingha Mishra, on the other hand, said that even though two committees were formed, not a single meeting has been conducted by the individual committees.

While the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal is all set to conduct a field visit in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, all eyes are now on the preparedness of Odisha government to furnish impactful fact and figures to help strengthen the case in its favour.

Senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra, on the other hand, today targeted the Odisha government and expressed concern over severe water crisis in Hirakud dam.

The flow of the river has slowed down and it has completely dried up at several places like Subarnapur, Nayagarh and Boudh.