As per reports, around 50 passengers on board the boat were stranded in the middle of Mahanadi river for three long hours before they were safely rescued.
As per initial reports, all the 50 passengers had boarded the boat from Bahakuda-Musadiha ferry ghat. Two boats had left from the ghat this morning.
The boats were en route to Paradip when one of the boat’s engines developed some snag. On getting information, locals swung into action and brought the boat to the shore.
As per reports, the victim girl has been identified as a First Year Plus-III Arts student and a resident of Helei village under Kiakata police limits. She was returning home on her bicycle after college.
According to eyewitnesses, as she was crossing the bridge across the Mahandi, she stopped all of a sudden. Then, she put aside her bicycle, bag, and shoes before jumping into the river.
Some youths chanced to see her being swept afloat by river currents and managed to rescue her. Later, fire services personnel reached there and rushed her to the district headquarters hospital.
The reason behind her extreme step was not yet ascertained at the time of filing of this report.
Meanwhile, police seized her bicycle, bag, and shoes and started an investigation into the matter.
As per reports, people of Gamei village on the banks of Mahanadi had gone to the river to take bath. However, they were appalled to see a big crocodile afloat in the river. As the news spread, a large crowd gathered on the banks.
They immediately informed the Forest department.
“When bathing in the river yesterday, a crocodile appeared on the water surface near us. We were scared and moved out of the river. The reptile has been spotted time and again in the same spot. We have intimated the forest department about it. However, no steps have been taken to drive away the crocodile,” said Achyuta Behera, a local resident.
Badamba ranger Sitaram Sabar said, "We got the news about the reptile yesterday. Our staff are already there at the spot. They warned people against venturing into the river till it is rescued or driven away. The reptile, which looks like a gharial, is now in deep waters. Hence, its rescue is a tough job.”
The new species was named Awaous Motla', said Prof Jaya Kishor Seth, the principal investigator of a project undertaken by the zoology department of Berhampur University and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Gopalpur.
The discovery was made during the ongoing research project funded by the department of science and technology of the Odisha government.
Specimens of the fish with a vibrant yellow-coloured body and a fleshy upper lip were collected from the Mahanadi river near Sonepur and Boudh bridge in June 2022, said Seth, who teaches zoology at Berhampur University.
"We conducted an extensive study of the specimens in collaboration with Anil Mohapatra of ZSI's Estuarine Biology Regional Centre and a scientist from Australia. We have ascertained that the species was a new one and very distinct from others of the genus in different aspects," Seth said.
Fishermen of the Sonepur region have christened the fish motla'. The species belongs to the family Awaous' (Oxudercidae), and thus, is named Awaous motla', he said.
The zoologist said the fish is consumed both fresh and dried. Local fishermen sell motla' at Rs 600 per kg, and Rs 800 per kg when dried.
Long-term research is needed to find out, among others, its migration pattern and nutritional value because of which it costs more than several other locally available fishes, Seth said.
The details on the new species were published in the online issue of Journal of Fish Biology on October 28.
Replying to an unstarred question of BJD MLA Bhupinder Singh, the minister said the CWC has not yet approved the projects due to the Odisha-Chhattisgarh interstate dispute over Mahanadi River water.
The detailed project reports (DPRs) of four major and medium irrigation projects including the Upper Udanti barrage, Tel integrated dam, Laxmipathar dam, and Lamadora dam have been prepared and sent to the CWC for approval.
The CWC will examine the DPRs after the final verdict of the Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal, she said.
During the last non-monsoon season, the water level of Hirakud dam reached 1.001 million acre feet due to the low flow of water to the Mahanadi River from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, Sahu said in another written statement in the House.
The Centre had constituted the Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal in March 2018 to resolve the row between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over the sharing of Mahanadi water. Hearing of the case still going on, she said.
The state government, through a statement of claim (SOC), has put forth its demands before the tribunal. Other co-basin states such as Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh have also submitted their claims before the tribunal. The Odisha government has also submitted its counter-affidavits to the demands of the other states, the minister informed the House.
The state government has engaged national-level renowned technical experts and senior lawyers to put forth the state's demand before the tribunal, she added.
As per initial reports, the woman tried to end her life over family feud. Sources said that the woman had jumped into the river from Bhutamundai bridge. After jumping into river, the woman got washed away for some 5 km before she was rescued near Nehru Bangla fishing harbour.
“Today, we saw the woman getting washed away in floodwater. We immediately alerted our staff and rescued her,” said Sukant Biswal, a member of the rescue team.
According to Biswal, initially the woman did not reveal the exact reason behind her jumping into the river.
“Only after ascertaining the address, we sent our staff to her residence. Later, we learnt that she jumped into the river over some family feud. We have handed over her custody to her family,” Biswal added.
“Around 9 to 9.5 lakh cusecs of water will flow through Mundali by this evening. It will be the pick hour and crucial time for us. The water will reach Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Puri tomorrow morning. As a result, low to medium flood is expected in Mahanadi river system in the State,” said Mohanty.
“Medium flood is also expected in Mahanadi basin. Pick flood will cross Mundali by this evening. The flood water has not breached any embankment so far. Concerned authorities in Puri, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Khordha have been alerted to be prepared to meet any kind of situation arising out of the flood. Senior officers have also been sent to the fields. This night is very crucial for us. Some low-lying areas in Nayagarh and Cuttack have been affected by the flood so far,” he added.
Notably, torrential rain induced by low pressure for the last couple of days has crippled life in various parts of Odisha causing landslides and waterlogging in several places.
The water level is also rising in Mahanadi River due to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment area. Around 7,25,000 cusecs of water are currently flowing per second at Mundali. Around eight lakh cusecs of water are expected to flow at Mundali at 12 pm today.
As per the official announcement, Hirakud will open gates for the first time this season on July 23. A final decision on the number of gates to be opened will be taken on the same day itself. The Hirakud gates will be opened at 9 am on Sunday.
In view of the release of excess water from Hirakud, the authorities have sounded an alert in areas of Sambalpur, Hirakud and Burla. People are being advised not to venture into Mahanadi in view of the release of water from the Hirakud dam.
At present the water level of Hirakud dam stands at 613 ft against the capacity of 630ft. Around 1,36,000 cusecs of water is entering the dam against the outflow of 40,000 cusecs.
The water level of Mahanadi is rising following heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas. At present, water is being released by Chhattisgarh through 66 gates of Kalma barrage.
Water was released for the first time through Kalma barrage on June 16. Initially, five gates were opened and subsequently, water was released through 66 gates.
It is pertinent to mention here that several parts of Mahanadi stream in Odisha were parched after Chhattisgarh stopped the release of water during the non-monsoon period.
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.
A senior official informed that the Tribunal had conducted site visits in two phases in both states and the case was listed for hearing today. Chhattisgarh has submitted 34 and Odisha has filed eight common format information. Odisha has not filed common format information as there is dispute whether the western catchment is part of Mahanadi basin or not.
A meeting will be fixed by the assessors and submitted affidavits will be filed after submission of common format information.
“We had sought time to file common format information as it runs up to 50,000-60,000 pages and the Tribunal has granted four weeks time. The technical team is backing us and we hope that it will be completed within the time period,” said Biswabara Das.
The Mahanadi River Water Disputes Tribunal visited 30 locations in Odisha during its site inspection recently. The tribunal had earlier completed its field visit to Chhattisgarh in two phases from April 18 to May 3, 2023.
The youth, Chandan Behera from Ramchandrapur village, went to the middle of Mahanadi river from Sunadei ghat at around 11 pm yesterday. Later, two other villagers went after him as the youth had threatened to end his life. However, the trio got stranded on the islet after sudden rise in the water level in the river.
As the current was also high, the trio found it difficult to reach the ghat. One of them somehow managed to swim across the ghat, but an elderly person and the drunk youth got stranded in the middle of the river.
Upon getting information, a team of the Odisha Fire Services Department reached the spot and launched a rescue operation.
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.
However, he was subsequently rescued after an intense operation that lasted for nearly four hours. He was subsequently rushed to the hospital, informed Prafula Majhi, Banki Fire Officer.
It is pertinent to here that Chhattisgarh had earlier opened the gates of Kalma barrage ahead of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal’s visit. Both Odisha and Chhattisgarh have been at loggerheads over non-release of water by the latter during the non-monsoon period. Chhattisgarh is also accused of not sharing information to Odisha regarding the release of water.
Moreover, Odisha had also accused Chhattisgarh of releasing water only during the monsoon period following incessant rain. Now the Chhattisgarh has opened all the 64 gates of Kalma barrage in view of the heavy rainfall in the past several days.
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.
The team will reach Satapada in two helicopters and from there they will be taken to Chilika mouth in a boat, sources informed.
The team will also visit the deltaic river system including the bifurcation point of Daya and Bhargavi rivers and the Kushabhadra river confluence at Ramchandi near Konark.
Complete Itinerary of the Tribunal
Day 1
The team has visited Hirakud Dam, power channel, Burla power house, and the proposed Parbati Giri Mega-Lift Irrigation Project at Rampila.
Day 2
On the second day, the tribunal visited Chiplima power house, Bargarh mail canal, Attabira branch canal and the proposed additional spillway, head regulator of Sambalpur distributary and the head regulator of Sason main canal.
Day 3
Ib Thermal Power Station and Dam projects in Jharsuguda and Sundargarh.
Day 4
Visit to Upper Jonk Irrigation Project and Saipala Dam in Nuapada
Day 5
Visit to CWC gauge site on the Mahanadi River at Tikarpada and Satkosia Gorge sanctuary.
Day 6
Rest at Bhubaneswar.
Day 7
Visit to Mahanadi delta, its barrages and Maritime museum at Cuttack. The tribunal will visit Mundali & Puri main canal, Sapua river confluence, Naraj barrage, Mahanadi barrage and Birupa barrage.
Day 8
The tribunal will visit Chilika Lake at Satpada and its mouth at sea on the 8th day of their visit.
Day 9
They will visit the deltaic river system including the bifurcation point of Daya and Bhargavi rivers and the Kushabhadra river confluence at Ramchandi near Konark.
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.
Day 1
The team has visited Hirakud Dam, power channel, Burla power house, and the proposed Parbati Giri Mega-Lift Irrigation Project at Rampila.
Day 2
On the second day, the tribunal visited Chiplima power house, Bargarh mail canal, Attabira branch canal and the proposed additional spillway, head regulator of Sambalpur distributary and the head regulator of Sason main canal.
Day 3
Ib Thermal Power Station and Dam projects in Jharsuguda and Sundargarh
Day 4
Visit to Upper Jonk Irrigation Project and Saipala Dam in Nuapada
Day 5
Visit to CWC gauge site on the Mahanadi River at Tikarpada and Satkosia Gorge sanctuary
Day 6
Rest at Bhubaneswar
Day 7
Visit to Mahanadi delta, its barrages and Maritime museum at Cuttack. The tribunal will visit Mundali & Puri main canal, Sapua river confluence, Naraj barrage, Mahanadi barrage and Birupa barrage.
Day 8
The tribunal will visit Chilika Lake at Satpada and its mouth at sea on the 8th day of their visit.
Day 9
They will visit the deltaic river system including the bifurcation point of Daya and Bhargavi rivers and the Kushabhadra river confluence at Ramchandi near Konark.
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.
The Tribunal is scheduled to visit the Kelo project in Chhattisgarh tomorrow and return to Delhi from Jharsuguda in the evening.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Chhattisgarh government has opened 17 gates of Kalma barrage just ahead of the tribunal’s field visit.
According to sources, the move from Chhattisgarh was aimed at misleading the tribunal by portraying fair sharing of Mahanadi water.
have opened gates, so we have come to take a bath. The water level was very low before that,” said a local.
Another local said, “The barrage authorities open gates whenever they feel like; mainly for an hour or two in the night. The river remains dry during the day making it difficult for us to take bath.”
“However, today seems to be an exception. I came back from work to see the gates open and the river is flowing on this side of the barrage. It is surprising,” he added.
“Chhattisgarh is acting smartly to mislead the tribunal. It has opened the gates of the barrage to level up the water. But, the tribunal will not just see the water level, rather it will verify various records and documents before reaching a conclusion,” said Sudhakar Patri, former chief engineer of the Odisha Water Resources department.
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.
According to sources, the move from Chhattisgarh aims at misleading the tribunal by giving it a picture of fair sharing of Mahanadi water.
Notably, the tribunal will again go on a field visit on April 29 and is scheduled to visit Kalma Barrage on May 3.
At present, Chhattisgarh is releasing water through 17 gates out of 66 gates of Kalma Barrage situated along the border of Jharsuguda district.
Though the chief engineer of Hirakud dam said he is aware of the development, he expressed his inability to give a correct figure about the inflow of water citing no information was shared from Kalma barrage authorities.
However, the move of the Chhattisgarh government may not help increase the water level of Hirakud dam, experts opined.
Commenting on the development, Engineer-in-Chief Bhakta Mohanty said, "Chhattisgarh has opened 17 gates of Kalma barrage yesterday and 3 more today. It might be in the wake of tribunal team's Odisha visit. As per reports, the team will visit Odisha on May 10. Despite opening of gates, inflow has not increased at Hirakud."
“Chhattisgarh is acting smartly to mislead the tribunal. It has opened the gates of the barrage to level up the water. But, the tribunal will just not see the water level, rather it will verify various records and documents before reaching a conclusion,” said Sudhakar Patri, former chief engineer of the Water Resources department.
Earlier, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had said Mahanadi river originated from Chhattisgarh and as the entire water goes to Odisha, the matter should not have gone to the Tribunal.
Mishra’s statement came in response to Baghel’s statement - Mahanadi originates from Chhattisgarh and the entire water goes to Odisha.
Replying to Baghel, Mishra said, “Odisha doesn’t need any other state’s pity. Odisha has its rights to the water of Mahanadi. And our ownership of the water is justified by the reports of the Water and Navigation Commission headed by Dr Ajodhyanath Khosla in 1947.”
“As per the Commission, Odisha is the rightful owner of two-thirds of Mahanadi water. Nevertheless, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had urged Chhattisgarh to release water in the lean period, between November and May,” he said.
“Baghel’s statement goes against Odisha’s interest and violates all the rules and established norms,” Mishra added.
Targeting the Centre, he further said, “The Centre should resolve this issue as soon as possible. But Union Jal Shakti Minister (MoS), Bishweswar Tudu’s statement in this sensitive topic is irresponsible.”
Tudu had recently said, "Centre’s permission is not needed for construction of barrages, as built by Chhattisgarh, to irrigate 2000 hectares of land. The Odisha government could have constructed small barrages on Mahanadi if they wanted. Now as the election is around the corner, the state government is only doing drama.”
Ahead of the field visit of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal, Baghel on Wednesday had said that river Mahanadi originates from Chhattisgarh and as the entire water goes to Odisha, the matter should not have gone to the Tribunal.
“There is no dam here in Chhattisgarh; the controversy is over seven barrages. As the matter went to the tribunal, we stopped our higher dam and barrage proposals. We think that we should get permission for the same as the entire water is going to Odisha,” Baghel had said.
“There is no dam here in Chhattisgarh; the controversy is over the seven barrages. As the matter went to the tribunal, we have stopped our high dam and barrage proposals. We think that we should get permission for the same as the entire water is going to Odisha,” said the Chhattisgarh CM.
Speaking on the Mahanadi water dispute, Union Jal Shakti Minister (State) Bishweswar Tudu said that Centre’s permission is not needed for construction of barrages, as built by Chhattisgarh, to irrigate 2000 hectares of land. “The Odisha government could have constructed small barrages on Mahanadi, if they had wanted. Now as the election is round the corner, the state government is only doing drama.”
Tudu also said that permission was granted till 2024 so that the matter could be decided at the earliest. But an extension was sought till 2026, said the Union Minister questioning the motive behind it.
“It is now almost one and half years that I am a minister, but they (Odisha government) have not discussed it with me. There were a lot of issues, be it Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur or Puri’s Kanasa where the matters were pending for the last 70 years, all those were resolved,” said Tudu.
Senior BJD leader, Prasanna Acharya said, “BJD and Odisha government is extending all cooperation to the Tribunal. Whatever facts are being sought, we are providing, and we are ready to provide whatever is required.”
According to Acharya, there has been gross negligence towards Odisha over the Mahanadi issue. “Our CM had brought the matter to the notice of the Centre, Central Water Commission, and Chhattisgarh government, but nothing happened,” he alleged.
“We are hopeful that the Tribunal will give its judgment; and whatever information will be sought, we will provide. We only want the Tribunal to expedite the matter and give justice to Odisha,” Acharya added.
The team will return to Delhi after taking stock at Samoda Dam on April 22. The second phase field visit is scheduled to start from April 29 and will continue till May 3, 2023. The Tribunal is likely to visit the Kelo Dam region on May 3, 2023. The team will take stock of the situation in the Hirakud dam’s upper catchment areas including Kalma barrage and others between April 29 and May 3.
There has been a constant drop in the water level downstream of Hirakud Dam. Most of the riverbed has completely dried up.
“The Judges and other members of the Tribunal, legal teams of both states and other officials have a field visit scheduled,” said Anand Sahu, chief engineer of Hirakud Dam.
Union Minister, Jal Shakti, Bisheswar Tudu said, “Odisha government is only shedding crocodile tears. They have not asked me when I am here. They want to pass on the blame to the Centre.”
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties including the BJP and Congress have started targeting the Odisha government on the Mahanadi issue.
Odisha BJP General Secretary, Prithviraj Harichandan said, “It seems that the Mahanadi issue has slipped out of Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik’s hand. Now the government is trying to resolve the matter which seems to be difficult.”
According to Harichandan, the Centre had earlier offered to resolve the matter by mediating and even gave a proposal twice, but the Odisha government ignored it.
“Odisha government and the ruling BJD forgot about the Mahanadi issue and subsequent crisis soon after the 2019 elections. Even though a field visit is being conducted, it may take a generation for the results to come,” Harichandan added.
Congress MLA, Taraprasad Bahinipati said, “Odisha government lacks the commitment to resolve the Mahanadi dispute. It's already five years to the Tribunal. Odisha government had earlier told that the construction of barrages will have no impact, but now the Mahanadi has dried up downstream. Odisha will suffer if it doesn’t construct dams and barrages.”
It is pertinent to mention here that Chhattisgarh has set up nearly 150 check dams for which the flow of Mahanadi water to Odisha has been affected.
Odisha Panchayatiraj Minister, Pradip Amat said, “Mahanadi is an inter-state dispute and the Centre has a major role. We have been saying that as several check dams upstream have been constructed by Chhattisgarh, there is less flow of water to Odisha downstream."
According to Mishra, a committee headed by the Assembly Speaker was formed on December 7, 2017 and another committee was formed which was headed by Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik.
“They are only talking about Mahanadi but not a single meeting has been conducted by the committees, forget about spot visit. I had raised the issue of legal committee in which there are several advocates. Despite this, the hearing date in the Tribunal is getting postponed,” said Mishra.
Raking up the issue, Mishra demanded that detailed information should be presented on meetings conducted by the committees and the work done by it and what was proposed. Mishra also sought full-fledged details and reports on the expenses incurred by the state on roping in six senior advocates to present Odisha’s stand before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal.
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.
“The matter is likely to be discussed in the Assembly through a motion and it is during the same period that the CM is visiting Japan. There will be no importance of such discussions when the CM would not be present. We want the CM to remain present in the House and leave for Japan after April 6,” said Mishra.
BJD MLA, Soumyaranjan Patnaik said,” The Mahanadi water has been stopped by the neighbouring state at the point of origin. Now we need to plan thinking about the future and come up with facilities to save the water flowing into the sea by constructing anicuts without waiting for the Tribunal. By this the issue of ground water depletion can be checked. There is also need to check the issue of water pollution by industries and other sources.”
(Reported by Harihar Chand)
The Mahanadi Tribunal decided to conduct the field visit in Chhattisgarh from April 17 to 21. Once the field visit at the upper catchment areas of Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh to Kalma barrage is completed, the team will undertake a field visit in Odisha from April 29 to May 03.
If the comparison of water level of Hirakud dam between March 27, 2022 and March 27, 2023 is taken into consideration, the seriousness of the situation can be well understood.
Last year on this day, the water level at Hirakud was 619.93 feet as compared to 616.39 feet today, signifying a decrease by 3.54 feet.
Though the present water level at Hirakud dam has raised concerns over the production of hydroelectricity, irrigation and potable water supply, the engineer-in-chief of water resources department has ruled out the apprehensions.
“The average inflow is around 400-500 Cusec while the average outflow is 7,000 Cusec for the power channels and irrigation. The inflow is less, but we will maintain the power generation agreement and meet the irrigation demand,” said Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty, engineer-in-chief of the Water Resources Department.
“The water is around 2.5 feet above actual level and the hydro electricity generation will not be affected,” said Chief Engineer of Hirakud Dam, Ananda Chandra Sahu.
Meanwhile, questions are being raised over who is responsible for the fall in water level of Mahanadi river. Is it Chhattisgarh’s illegal barrage construction as claimed by the Odisha government or there are other lacunas?
Former chief engineer of Hirakud Dam said that there were some negligence on part of the Odisha government during 1947 Hirakud Dam water sharing policy. Furthermore, the Odisha government is failing to preserve water in lower catchment areas in the rainy season, opine several experts.
“Two Sindol hydro power projects, which could have helped in power generation and irrigation, are not operational. The project was cleared by the Government of India,” said Sudhakar Patri, former Chief Engineer of Hirakud Dam.
(Reported by Sanjay Jena and Chandan Paikray, OTV)
After a hearing, the Mahanadi Tribunal decided to conduct the field visit in Chhattisgarh in two phases-from April 17 to 21 and from April to April 29. Once the field visit at the upper catchment areas of Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh to Kalma barrage is completed, the dates for the field visit by the Tribunal in Odisha will be announced.
Sources said that the Mahanadi Tribunal comprising the Chairman, members and the technical team will be part of the field visit in Chhattisgarh. The field visit in Odisha is likely to be held in the month of May, said Tapas Praharaj, Standing counsel Odisha.
Meanwhile, politics is active on the sensitive issue of the declining water flow of Mahanadi in Odisha.
“I have given a motion for discussion on the Mahanadi issue and Speaker had assured to take it up after the passage of the appropriation bill. I urge CM Naveen Patnaik not to visit outside and inform the House on the sensitive issue,” said Senior Congress leader, Narasingha Mishra.
Mishra further said the Mahanadi issue is being discussed since the year 2000. The state government in 2000 claimed that Hirakud is receiving excess water during the non-monsoon periods. In 2021, the government said that the water inflow has decreased and again after barrages were constructed the government claimed that water inflow has increased. But now the government has found itself in an awkward situation as Mahanadi is now drying up, said Mishra.
“Two Committees were set up with CM and Speaker as their heads. The Odisha government is not taking the Opposition into confidence for which it is failing,” Mishra added.
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 senior BJP leader said that it is for the first time in history that such a situation has cropped up and 13 to 14 districts of the state will be affected.
“The water level of Hirakud dam today stands at 616.69ft against the level 621.51ft in the same period last year. It shows that there is a drop of 5ft in the water level in Hirakud and one can easily imagine the situation in peak summer months. The water level of Hirakud dam has dropped by 1ft in four days which is for the first time in history," Mohapatra said.
“If the trend continues, the water level in Hirakud will come down to 600ft and it will affect power generation and irrigation,” said Mohapatra.
The senior BJP leader further said that there is a possibility of a drinking water crisis even in Bhubaneswar. The Chhattisgarh government arbitrarily constructed barrages and its impact is now being felt in Odisha in 2023. According to Mohapatra, as on today, there is an inflow of 485 cusecs in the reservoir compared to 12,000 to 15,000 cusecs.
“There is an evaporation of 815 cusecs per day and it is now led to an alarming situation. Odisha is pushed into such a situation when nobody can say what will happen next. I suspect there will be a dead storage level in Hirakud in June if the water level drops to 600ft,” he added.
“When Odisha government is spending crores on other works, it could have constructed multiple barrages downstream of Mahanadi. We are surprised how the Odisha government kept mum after knowing everything,” Mohapatra added.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government officials could not be contacted over the allegations brought by the Opposition parties.
(OdishaTV Bureau)
As per sources, all the 66 gates of Chhattisgarh’s Kalma barrage, situated along the border of Jharsuguda district, have been shut down. Not a single drop of water is coming to Hirakud reservoir and there has been a significant dip in the water level of the dam.
As a result, the flow of the river has slowed down and it has completely dried up at several places like Subarnapur, Nayagarh and Boudh.
Apart from a few gorges, only sand and rocks are visible in most of the places along the river bed. It seems as if the biggest river in Odisha, the Mahanadi is struggling for its survival during the scorching summer.
As the water level has dipped in the upper catchment areas, power generation and irrigation have been severely affected.
With a harsh summer ahead, objections have been raised over the move by Chhattisgarh government to close all the gates of Mahanadi river in upper catchment areas.
Several villagers and farmers’ organizations in lower catchment areas of Odisha alleged that they have been suffering due to the absence of water since the last few years. The river bed has almost dried up. In such a situation, several local farmers, who have started cultivation, have been left in the lurch.
“Chhattisgarh government is not paying heed to the genuine demands of people of bordering areas of Jharsuguda to open its barrages. Many people in Odisha are largely dependent on Mahanadi river water. People in the State are facing a lot of problem in agriculture and facing a severe water crisis,” said a farmers’ leader.
“Chhattisgarh government has done illegal work by stopping the natural flow of Mahanadi. Not a single drop of water is entering Hirakud reservoir. As a result, fishermen in the areas, farmers, and all the people are facing a severe water crisis. Their livelihood is at stake. Whereas in the rainy season, the neighbouring state releases surplus water through their barrages causing severe flood situation in Odisha,” rues another farmer leader.
According to sources, the technical teams and assessors appointed in connection with the water dispute between Odisha & Chhattisgarh will accompany the tribunal members during the visit.
As per reports, the field visit will continue for a week after which the tribunal will begin recording statement of the witnesses.
The tribunal’s next hearing will be held on March 25.
Lawyer, Jagatjit Singh Chabra said, “Technical teams from both Chhattisgarh and Odisha and the assessors will visit the area. The tribunal can also conduct an aerial survey if required.”
Meanwhile, the tenure of the tribunal is scheduled to end in March this year.
Speaking on the tribunal’s tenure, Chhabra said, “It depends on the concerned States. If they want the tribunal to work for more time, then they can write to the Centre urging the same.”
Earlier on January 7, the tribunal had asked the assessor to convene a meeting with technical teams of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The meeting was scheduled for January 16 and both the teams discussed the dispute with respect to the area of Mahanadi basin.
The dispute over Mahanadi water distribution began in 2016 when Odisha objected to Chhattisgarh constructing dams and barrages citing that it would significantly reduce the water flow in the downstream. The State contended that the dams and barrages would have an adverse impact on the people and industries in Odisha.
It was when the Chhattisgarh government constructed 12 projects in the guise of minor irrigation projects that the magnitude of the impact was realized.
On November 19, 2016, the Odisha government had filed a complaint with the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (now known as the Ministry of Jal Shakti) under Section 3 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act 1956.
(Reported By Sibananda Rout, OTV)
Jena’s comments assume significance in the backdrop of the recent incident in which two persons died after their car was swept away in a canal at Kuchinda area in Sambalpur on Saturday.
Similarly, a boat ferrying around 30 passengers was reportedly washed away due to strong currents in River Mahanadi in Mahakalpada of Kendrapada district yesterday. The SRC said that it (boat getting washed away with 30 passengers on board) was one of the most harrowing experiences of nearly four hours. However, all of the passengers were rescued by coordinated efforts of Marine Police, Fire Services and other administrative officials.
Urging people not to try to cross road, bridges or culverts where floodwater is flowing, the SRC said, “Let's not underestimate the power of flowing water. Even 6 inches of water can cause frictionless between the tyres of the vehicle and the road. People need to understand this, especially youth,” said Jena.
According to Jena, four persons were also rescued recently after a car got swept away in the Mahanadi floodwater in Athagarh of Cuttack district. All of them were rescued after a long operation that lasted for nearly three hours.
“As per the IMD’s forecast, coastal areas of the state are likely to experience rainfall from today evening to August 20. North and western Odisha will also experience downpours on August 20 and 21. We are getting prepared for maximum of 55 mm rainfall. It is expected that by 21, the inflow into the Hirakud reservoir will be 5.5 lakh cusec and the water level would have come down to 621,” said Jena.
“There would be no problem in managing the flow of water in Mahanadi system. The amount of water flowing in the system would have reduced considerably,” Jena added.
“Since Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Keonjhar are likely to witness rains under the impact of depression, we are reducing water levels in the reservoirs in these districts. As the water level in the Rengali dam in Brahmani basin is at far low, more water can be stored there. So there would be no fear of flood in Brahmani river,” he added.
As of now, the inflow of water into Hirakud reservoir and outflow from the reservoir are 4,40,000 and 6,74,000 cusecs respectively. At present, the water level stands at 624.43 feet. Our efforts are on to reduce it to 622 feet. There will be a review meeting after 3 pm today and, there, a decision would be taken to close some gates, informed Jena.
A total of seven breaches have been reported. No new breach has been reported since yesterday. Even as water levels have reduced by two feet in most areas, in Kanas area, it will take some time, said Jena.
Patnaik has directed officials to follow the state’s policy of ‘every life is precious’ while dealing with all possible disasters. Patnaik also directed the District Collectors to take appropriate measures to avoid flood and carry out necessary evacuation of people from vulnerable areas to safer places on a priority basis.
The State government also directed officials to undertake special measures to provide relief and other basic amenities
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena, while briefing the Chief Minister, said the flood situation has cropped up in 10 districts of the state due to heavy rainfall activities in upper and lower catchment areas of Mahanadi river.
Eight gates of Hirakud dam were closed yesterday to allow water from other tributaries to pass through and reduce the impact downstream. Such measures will continue for next three days unless some emergency situation crops up.
Earlier in the day, Engineer in Chief of Odisha Water Resources Department Bijay Kumar Mishra said the flood situation in Odisha is likely to peak in three hours today.
The water flow at Mundali was 11.6 lakh cusec at 9 am today. The water level of Hirakud Dam at 9 am today was at 625.54 feet and while the inflow of water stood at 7.64 lakh while outflow 4.48 lakh.
Although rainfall activities have reduced in lower catchment areas, the upper catchment areas of Hirakud are still experiencing rainfall, informed Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena.
Three basins of 3 rivers - Indravati, Tel and Mahanadi recorded heavy rainfall under the influence of the depression over Bay of Bengal in the past 24 hours. Till Sunday, it was expected that there would be an inflow of around 7 lakh cusecs of water into Hirakud dam. However, it has now increased to 8.5 lakh cusecs.
Even as Govt has decided to close eight sluice gates of Hirakud, water from upper catchment areas is causing Mahandi to swell, said the SRC.
Read below to know water flow and danger level status in major rivers of State:
River Mahanadi:-
Jamadarpali
Present Water Level – 188.29m
Danger Mark –
Deogaon
Present Water Level – 128.63
Danger Mark – 130.5m
Khairamal
Present Water Level – 106.9m
Danger Mark – 109m
Boudh
Present Water Level – 89m
Danger Mark – 88.6m
Tikarpada
Present Water Level – 71.57m
Danger Mark – 74.98m
Naraj
Present Water Level – 26.72m
Danger Mark – 26.41m
Kathajodi
Present Water Level – 20.84m
Danger Mark –
River Debi:-
Alipingal
Present Water Level – 10m
Danger Mark – 11.76m
Kushabhadra
Present Water Level – 6.54m
Danger Mark – 10.76m
Nimapara
Present Water Level – 6.54m
Danger Mark – 10.76m
Bhingarpur
Present Water Level – 12.8m
Danger Mark –
River Daya:-
Daya Road
Present Water Level – 16.37m
Danger Mark –
Bhagarbi
Present Water Level –
Danger Mark –
Balkati
Present Water Level – 15.2m
Danger Mark –
Balanga
Present Water Level – 10.76m
Danger Mark –
River Ib:-
Sundargarh
Present Water Level – 219.3m
Danger Mark –
River Ang:-
Padampur
Present Water Level – 176.5m
Danger Mark –
Salebhata
Present Water Level – 133.95m
Danger Mark –
River Baitarani:-
Akhuapada
Present Water Level – 18.7m
Danger Mark – 17.83m
Anandapur
Present Water Level – 38.14m
Danger Mark –
River Budhabalang:-
NH-5
Present Water Level – 7.42m
Danger Mark –
River Jalaka:-
Mathani
Present Water Level – 6.56m
Danger Mark – 5.5m
River Banshadhara:-
Kashinagar
Present Water Level – 55.43m
Danger Mark –
Gunpur
Present Water Level – 83.82m
Danger Mark –
Adding to the woes, IMD on Monday said a new low pressure is likely to form over north-west Bay of Bengal (BoB) around August 19. It is expected that several parts of the state will experience rainfall activities under the influence of the system.
Three river basins- Indravati, Tel and Mahanadi recorded heavy rainfall under the influence of the depression over Bay of Bengal in the past 24 hours. Till yesterday, it was expected that there would be an inflow of around 7 lakh cusecs of water into Hirakud dam. However, it has now increased to 8.5 lakh cusecs.
According to Jena, there has been a considerable rise in the water level of several tributaries of Mahanadi. The water from upper catchment areas and lower catchment areas is causing Mahanadi river to swell.
Taking into these factors, a major flood is likely in Mahanadi and hence a decision has been taken to close eight gates of Hirakud dam till 9 am tomorrow, said Jena.
The closing down of gates of Hirakud dam will lead to reduction in the water level by 1.20 lakh cusecs. “At present, 9.1 lakh cusecs of floodwater is passing through Mundali and it has been decided to keep the outflow through Mundali by 10.5 lakh to 11 lakh cusecs,” said Jena.
SRC further informed that 5 additional teams of ODRAF, 7 NDRF and over 20 teams of fire services department have been deployed in Boudh, Angul, Sonepur, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Khordha, Puri and Kendrapara districts.
Areas To Be Affected:
Jagatsinghpur, Puri face maximum threat due to flooding in Mahanadi.
30-40% areas in Kendrapara to be affected.
Impact will also be seen in Cuttack's Nischintakoili, Athagarh, Banki and Sonepur's Biramitrapur. Nayagarh's Kantilo, Bhapur, and Boudh’s Harabhanga will be inundated.
The dam is now discharging excessive water from the reservoir through 20 sluice gates.
Alerting the downstream areas, Sambalpur District Collector, Ananya Das said heavy rains at the upper catchment areas of the Mahanadi river have made the Hirakud reservoir receive a lot of water which is being released now through 20 gates.
“Major populated areas near the dam are being alerted through sirening. It is usually done two hours before the gates are opened. We are also alerting the people through loud speakers urging them to come back from the downstream areas.” Das said.
She also urged people to not go to those areas as the velocity of the water would be very high.
Apart from Mahanadi, other rivers too received water as the low pressure induced rains made some rivers swell across the State.
Speaking to OTV, the Engineer-in-Chief (EIC) of the Water Resource Department, Bijay Kumar Mishra said, “Though there is rain over past few days, almost all the rivers are flowing below the danger level except for Jalaka river.”
As far as preparation for floods is concerned, the EIC said that the administration is ready for any eventualities.
“3.47 lakh cusecs of water is currently passing through Mundali barrage. This is hardly a threat. I think by the time the water from Hirakud reaches Cuttack, the current water flow caused by rains would have been depleted. So I do not think there will be any flood situation for now. However, we must remain alert.” Mishra said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the formation of a fresh low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal around August 13 that is likely to bring more rain for the next five days.
“A fresh low pressure area is likely to form over North Bay of Bengal around 13 August, 2022 . It is likely to become more marked during subsequent 24 hours and move west-northwestwards thereafter,” informed Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Scientist Umashankar Das.
“Under the influence of the system, heavy to heavy rainfall is likely to lash many districts on August 13 and 14 . The rainfall will be the highest on August 14 and might slightly decrease by August 15,” Das added.
The IMD has predicted that heavy rain might lead to landslides in hilly regions and cause water logging in low-lying areas. Moreover, surface wind speed gusting up to 60 kmph is likely to prevail along and off Odisha coast.
On the other hand, a flood-like situation is expected on Mahanadi due to excess rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Chhattisgarh. More water is entering Hirakud dam due to heavy rainfall in Chhattisgarh.
Many other rivers are in spate submerging low-lying areas and severely disrupting road communication.
Furthermore, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea and collectors have been directed to remain prepared to handle any emergency.
As per the allegations, the local mafia in Binika area of the district has been using blast fishing to catch fish in a rampant manner in Mahanadi river.
The unbridled explosions are not only causing destruction to the aquatic ecosystem in the river but also polluting its water and leading to serious setbacks to the livelihood of thousands of fishermen community in the region, said locals.
According to sources, miscreants are exploding dynamite or other types of chemical explosives to catch fish from the river and it is suspected to be causing serious health hazards.
Environmentalists have also expressed concerns that such methods of fishing destroy habitats of aquatic wildlife, killing animals indiscriminately and reducing fishing catches.
What’s more shocking is that it not only kills fish but also destroys other species of water animals.
Locals have further alleged that despite sincere requests to the administration to curb the cases of blast fishing, no one is bothered to listen to their pleas.
"Fishing is our lifeline but people of all ages are involved in blast fishing in the river, so much so that after failing to earn a good livelihood, our children are forced to go out of state in search of income," rued a local fisherman Ram Jhankar.
Rabindra Badhei, president of Fishermen Association Binika said they are ready to launch a massive protest in the coming days if their issues are not resolved at the earliest.
On the other hand, the police have assured to take stringent action against those found guilty in the case.
Sitting on the delta of Tel, Suktel and Mahanadi, Sonepur district once used to feel proud of the Mahanadi’s vast water and the somnolent breeze. The picture is no longer the same.
With the river being reduced to a stream, the summer has become unbearable for the people of the district. The situation in Jharsuguda district’s Sukhosoda area is no better either.
It has all been ascribed to the 66 sluice gates of Kalma barrage in Chhattisgarh being shut.
“Had the government constructed barrages on the Mahanadi, Tel and Suktel rivers, the situation would have been a different one with people getting irrigation facility and a respite from the scorching summer,” said a Sonepur resident, Gobind Maharana.
Echoing the same, a Boudh resident Pratap Rath said, besides farmers, the fishermen have also lost their means of livelihood.
Expressing his concern, Union Minister for Water Resources Bishweswar Tudu said, “What Chhattisgarh has done is for its own advantages. Instead of accusing Chhattisgarh, we should introspect what we have done for our people. The problem would come to an end if both the States come to a consensus.”
In his reaction, Water Resources Minister Raghunandan Mishra said, “We welcome the Union Minister’s proposal. Since the dispute is sub-judice in the tribunal, steps can be taken only after obtaining its permission.”
According to sources, the three boys identified as Chhotu, Raj and Sahil of Chunabhati Charigharia area were swept away while bathing due to strong current in the river.
Some locals jumped into the river and managed to rescue one of the boys in critical condition while two others are still missing.
ODRAF and Fire personnel reached the spot and launched a rescue operation along with the local residents. Till last reports came in, the search operation was still underway.
Meanwhile, the rescued boy Sahil was declared dead by doctors at the SCB Medical College and Hospital.
Locals alleged the members of ODRAF and Fire Personnel were not serious in carrying out their job. ‘Instead of diving into the water to search the missing boys, they are only surfing the water level to spot any bodies,” alleged a resident of Cuttack.
The green court was hearing a plea which called the Baliyatra River Front Improvement (BRFI) project, under which the constrution was being carried out, an attempt to monetise the river bed for commercial purposes which will reduce the water-retaining capacity of the river at Jobra Barrage at Cuttack and causing damage to the environment and the riverine ecosystem.
"No construction of permanent nature will be allowed in the flood plain in question pending further order," said the order issued by the bench of NGT chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel.
The petition pointed out that the works in the river bed will also affect the supply of drinking water and obstruct dredging which is necessary. This will also add to the floods in the city, it added.
During the hearing, Counsel for the applicant referred to the forming of an NGT-assigned panel on December 15, 2020, in which it directed the committee to consider the issue and lay down norms to ensure that the proposal of the Odisha State for construction of the medical college and riverfront development takes place in accordance with the law, without damage to the flood plains of the Rivers.
Flood plain zones need to be identified and demarcated in light of such norms. The Committee may identify the extent of floodplain zone/active floodplain zone from the edge of the river. CPCB will be the nodal agency for compliance, the counsel said highlighting the earlier order.
On October 4, 2021, as per the direction of NGT, the Central Pollution Contol Board has filed an affidavit which sanctioned a project called "Floodplain Zoning Study for the Identified Stretches of Mahanadi River Basin" for mapping of the river using satellite imageries, digital elevation maps, land use and a land cover map showing habitation, flood frequency analysis and demarcation of flood plain zones from the edge of the river under an expert committee.
The study found that the flood of 25 year return period is expected to affect about 38 villages in and around the Cuttack city from the Munduli barrage to the downstream of Jobra barrage.The applicant submitted that while the report considers engineering aspects in light of guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority, it does not consider ecological and hydrological aspects in terms of the earlier NGT order.
However, the NGT order dated February 7, said: "We do not see any reason not to accept the suggestion for such further study to consider appropriate directions in the interest of environment" while directing a seven-member expert panel to undertake a detailed study on the steps required for protecting the flood plain zone and the environment within three months by April 30.
Further hearing in the matter will be held on May 23.
The 3.4-km-long bridge, connecting Singhanath Pitha and Baideswar in Cuttack district, will reduce the distance by 45 km, benefitting around five lakh people, officials said.
The bridge, constructed in T-shape, is built at a cost of Rs 111 crore, they said.
Patnaik had laid the foundation stone of the bridge on February 28, 2014.
Ahead of Patnaik's visit, the police detained hundreds of Congress and BJP workers, including former MLA Debasis Patnaik, as they were protesting with black flags at Banki.
The opposition activists were demanding the dismissal of Minister of State for Home DS Mishra for his alleged link with the prime accused in the Kalahandi woman teacher's kidnap and murder case.
Patnaik had in July 2017 inaugurated the 2.88-km-long Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Setu over Kathajodi river at Trisulia, which till now held the title of the state's longest bridge. The bridge connects Bhubaneswar and Cuttack via Barang.
Mass nesting is one of nature’s rare events and I have been lucky to see this many times. Words fail to describe the wonderful sight of thousands of turtles heaving themselves up on the silvery beach to dig pits in the soft sand to lay their eggs. Like some self programmed toys, they follow one after the other and soon the entire beach is full of turtles without even space for putting your foot.
The next event is the hatching of the baby turtles which is a synchronized happening as thousands of nests hatch approximately during a period of 3- 4 days. In the evening, the little ones clamber outside the nest and race towards the sea. They have to go fast since hungry predators lurk to devour them if they expose themselves too much.
However, all is not well with the Ridleys of Odisha. Thousands die every year due to illegal fishing by trawlers in prohibited turtle congregation zones. Since the last 20 years, at least 1,80,000 dead turtles have been counted on the beaches of the state. Even now at least 5,000 to 6,000 turtles perish every season which is a shame! I hope the government works harder to arrest these annual turtle deaths.
The breeding adult population is dying and if this is not checked there will be a sudden population crash after 5-7 years. Olive Ridleys have an extremely poor survival rate since only 1 out of every 1000 eggs laid hatches and grows up into an adult turtle and therefore protection of the breeding population is critical.
Let us not forget that the state is also home to many other species of wildlife thanks to the wide diversity of natural habitats which we have. To protect this invaluable wildlife wealth, the state government has declared 22 Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks. The latest wildlife Sanctuary to be notified was Kapilash WLS in 2012 covering a small area of 125 sq kms in Dhenkanal district. The keystone species in this Sanctuary is the Indian Giant Squirrel which is a lovely creature to behold at Kapilash Temple area. These cute squirrels have a beautiful maroon coat and are truly a delightful sight as they frolic on tree tops, jumping from branch to branch!
The world famous Bhitarkanika mangroves forests are home to some of the world’s largest crocodiles. The salt water crocodiles are found here in large numbers and the latest estimate puts them at 1,600 odd. However, more than half are juveniles who may not survive when they grow up. Beware of the salties! During nesting they can be quite nasty. The cold season is the best time to sight them. Take a country boat and enter the narrow creeks of Bhitarkanika and you will find these lovable giants lounging on the mud banks basking in the winter sun. We have the record of largest crocodile in the world having lived in Bhitarkanika which was shot by the erstwhile king of Kanika.
Chilika is Asia’s largest brackish water lake spread across 900 sq kms approximately. Bird watching is an unforgettable experience which no one should miss. Just hire a boat and sail to Nalabana, the bird paradise which will transport you to another world. The only sound reflected over the tranquil waters of the lake is the joyful twitter of waterfowl as they bask in the pale morning sun. You shall be bedazzled by their myriad colours as they dive and feed in the lake waters. Chilika hosts nearly a million migratory waterfowl every year. They belong to nearly 260 species.
However, the lake is also world famous for another rare creature, the Irrawady dolphins. This endangered creature with a total estimated population of about 150 is easily sighted in this lake. Irrawady Dolphins are small dolphins found in river mouth and near shore sea waters. These dolphins stay in small family groups and love to gambol in the lake waters. They are quite friendly and sometimes come close to the boats. It is a wonderful sight to see the watchful mother closely guarding her calf and teaching her how to catch the lake fish.
Songkhla Lake in Thailand is the only other place in the world which has a lake population of dolphins. No wonder, many foreign cetacean researchers and lovers are attracted to this lake. However, the rampant growth of dolphin tourism, use of new types of fishing nets, proliferation of shrimp farms is now threatening this population.
As you travel inland in the forested hills and valleys you will encounter a wide variety of forest animals like elephants, tigers, leopards, sambhar, deer, etc. The state has nearly 1,960 elephants and at least 25 tigers. Unfortunately, tigers are sharply declining in numbers in the state. It is a matter of time before we shall see them disappear as populations fall below unviable numbers!
Satkosia Tiger Reserve used to have about twelve tigers when it was notified in 2007 but now the population has crashed to one. Satkosia has a good elephant population and is part of a bigger forest area stretching from Badamba-Narsinghpur to Rairakhol forests. This huge area of more than 5,000 sq kms enables the wildlife to migrate and spill over thereby providing them a big natural habitat for feeding and breeding.
The river Mahanadi courses through the deep Satkosia Gorge. Never miss a boat ride in the Mahanadi. It is a mind boggling experience floating down this 22 kms stretch of Mahandi from Binka to Kamaladiha! The steep hill slopes dip into the river on both sides and you are shadowed by the high hills as you sail down the tranquil waters of Mahanadi. Both species of crocodiles i.e., the gharial and the mugger are sighted here though the gharials are very small in number. You can also sight river turtles basking on the banks of the river.
Short sighted harmful tourism ventures have been unfortunately promoted by the forest department. They have set up a tourist resort on the Mahanadi river bed near Badmul which is illegal since they disturb endangered wildlife such as crocodiles and turtles which use the sand banks for basking and nesting. Besides, wastes would invariably pollute the crystal clear waters of Mahanadi river. I wonder how guardians of wildlife can think of such imbecilic projects!
Simlipal Tiger Reserve is spread over nearly 2,800 sq kms in the district of Mayurbhanj. It has wonderful rest houses dating from the Mayurbhanj Maharaja’s time dotting the wide expanse of the park. Simlipal is a water rich area and you will be amazed by the huge number of streams which flow perennially in this area. There are wonderful water falls at Joranda and Barheipani. Simlipal is a treasure house of orchids and more than 90 varieties have been listed here. You will find a profusion of orchids flowering during spring and early summer. Their attractively coloured flowers look like precious jewels stuck high on the tree branches. Elephants are in abundance in this park. The count is nearly 500 though most tuskers are gone thanks to rampant poaching in the Tiger Reserve. In 2010, wildlife lovers were shocked to learn that at least 15 elephants had been killed inside the Park. Even now it is difficult to see mature tuskers in the Park which indicates the havoc wreaked by poachers because of lack of protection of these mammals.
Simlipal is a paradise for bird watchers since you find many forest species like crested tree swift, red spur fowl, black shouldered kite, crested serpent eagle, brown fish owl, and hill myna. In fact, the place is famous for hill myna and once upon a time, the forest department used to run a thriving business, catching the chicks from the tall sal trees and rearing them at Jashipur. They used to be exported in large numbers to foreign countries where a huge demand existed since the hill myna is a talking bird and can closely mimic human voice.
I must warn visitors to Simlipal not to allow the tiger to lurk around every corner you drive through. Though the Park is well known for its tigers, their numbers have fallen drastically during the last decade and latest census by the Government of India reveals a population of around 20 currently down from 101 in 2006! Their prey base is under attack due to regular poaching and hence you will rarely see sambar or deer in the Park unless you watch a salt lick near the forest beats where the animals feel safe.
Another wonderful place to visit in Odisha is Barbara forests near Balugaon. This place is about 150 kms from Bhubaneswar and was protected by the CRPF who have now left. It has a wonderful population of bison and sambhar which you can see when you drive to Mahisagoth or Rajin hill road. Birds like Indian pied hornbill, yellow billed blue magpie, fantail flycatchers are also found here. Three frogs new to science have been discovered here thanks to the untiring efforts of noted herpetologist Prof. S.K. Dutta. I must mention with a blush that I was too a part of the survey team in 2001 when we surveyed the forest streams for new frog species!
The blue green waters of Mahanadi river are a wonderful habitat for fresh water turtles which have disappeared from most rivers in India due to large scale poaching. One can see Chitra Indica, Gangeticus, Hurum species in this river. Some of the fresh water turtles can grow upto 70 kgs. Due to efforts of local communities, poaching is now controlled to a large extent and in fact at some locations close to Cuttack city the turtle population has recovered leading to an unwanted consequence! Turtles have started damaging the fishing nets and fishermen are now clamouring for compensation!
The rolling grasslands and scrub forests of Bhetnoi–Balipadar in Ganjam district are famous for its herds of black buck whose population has jumped since the last one decade. Locals revere the animals and protect them even when they raid their crop fields. One can see black buck foraging quite close to the Aska-Buguda main road. The area has wonderful rocky outcrops which look quite attractive in the dry landscape. The place is about 170 kms from Bhubaneswar. This is a must visit spot for wildlife lovers and is a glaring example of how community support helps in growth of wildlife. The black bucks have now spread to other nearby areas and are seen even near Rambha and Khallikote. This is one huge success story of conservation for Odisha!
Odisha’s incredible wildlife wealth needs to be preserved for the future so that our children become true inheritors of this state’s natural heritage. We should keep a careful and close watch on the state of our wildlife sanctuaries to ensure that its wildlife is safe and well protected. We should be conscientious about our treasure trove which needs to be constantly protected against foolish development projects that threaten their habitat and food.
(This is an opinion piece. The views expressed are the author’s own and have nothing to do with OTV’s charter or views. OTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. The author is a conservationist and a former member of the National Board for Wildlife. He can be reached at kachhapa@gmail.com)
While one tusker got stuck near Mundali barrage, two other pachyderms were swept away and hit the banks near Anantapur. Rest of the elephants in the herd managed to reach Nuasasan banks in Athagarh of Cuttack district.
Fire services and forest department personnel are engaged in rescue operation which is underway for over four hours now. As per reports, heavy machinery has been deployed by the rescue personnel to pull the trapped tusker to safety.
Senior forest officials from Chandaka have reached Mundali for ‘Operation Gaja’ for rescuing the tusker. A big crane will be used to pull the mammal out of water, said forest department officials.
Meanwhile, wildlife expert Jayant Mardaraj Harichandan said that the rescue operations should be expedited, or else it will risk the life of the tusker.
Video Editor: Surendra Pradhan
Producer: Diptyranjita Patra
As per the Central Water Commission (CWC) data, a day after the low pressure system crosses the Odisha-West Bengal coast on September 20, the water level in Brahmani -Baitarani rivers is predicted to remain 1mt below the warning level.
In the given backdrop, model forecasts show the districts will face another low pressure system between Sept 26-28. And the prediction is, under the influence of this fresh low pressure, while the district of Balasore is going to record rainfall up to around 8mm per hour, the other north Odisha districts like Bhadrak, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal and Cuttack are predicted to measure rain in the range of 4mm per hour.
As per the CWC forecast, the flood situation in the Baitarani and Jalaka rivers will remain severe till September 21, courtesy heavy rainfall forecast under the impact of the fresh low pressure system likely on Sept 20-21in the Subarnareka basin in Jharkhand.
Back To Back Heavy Rain
The flood fears loom large over the north Odisha districts as another fresh low pressure system will hit the districts between Sept 26-28. Under its impact, Odisha is likely to receive very heavy rainfall for nearly 48 hours.
And as the system is predicted to bring heavy rainfall in the states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, besides West Bengal and Odisha, the flood situation in the northern districts are unlikely to ease till September end.
An analysis of CWC data shows that water levels in the Brahmani - Baitarani and Subarnarekha basins will hover around the danger level till the end of this month. And the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur may record floods.
Mahanadi Flood Forecast
As per the data available with CWC, with the Mahanadi basin recording a massive 27.6 mm rainfall on Wednesday, which is 341 percent more than the normal, the water inflow to Hirakud reservoir has crossed the 10.5k cubic meter per second today morning hours.
As a consequence, the water level at Naraj will breach the warning level at midnight today. As per the CWC forecast, the Cuttack district may record above normal floods on September 18. The water level will fall from midnight of Sept 18.
There is a forecast that the inflow to Hirakud reservoir will drop to nearly 3000 cubic meters per second by Sept 21.
However, the upper Mahanadi basin in Chhattisgarh is predicted to receive nearly 5mm/hour rainfall on Sept 21-23, Moreover, model forecasts show another spell of heavy rain in Chhattisgarh between Sept 28-29.
In the given backdrop, where heavy rains are predicted for both upper and lower Mahanadi basins during the next 14 days (at least 8 days will witness rainfall in all the three states of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh), the perils of flood in Mahanadi exist till the end of this month.
Rushikuliya, Bansdhara On Watch list?
Odisha needs to stay alert on the southern front as a flood-like situation is likely to hit the southern districts in October 1st week when a deep depression is predicted to cross the coasts between East Godavari and Vizag districts.
Though the water level in Rushikuliya is predicted to remain below 4 mt from the warning level till Sept 23, the river has to remain on the watch list due to an upcoming severe system.
Similarly, CWC forecasts show Bansadhara water level inching towards the warning level by Sept 22, which may give the flood jitters later.
The soon-to-be-displaced locals of the ambitious Samalei Project in the vicinity of the famous Samaleswari Temple in Sambalpur resorted to jal Satyagrah on Thursday demanding details of the rehabilitation plans prepared for them by the government.
The unique protest was joined by both male and female agitators and was staged at Balibandha Ghat in the Mahanadi river that flows by the western Odisha city of Sambalpur.
One of the protesters alleged that the local administration never disclosed their eviction and rehabilitation plans. “We want to know if they will force us to leave our homes which come under the project. If that is the case, where do they plan to rehabilitate and what amount will they give us in compensation” he asked.
“People are in panic and the government officials have turned a deaf ear to our questions. Some officials are even threatening us to leave our places within a month,” he alleged.
Similarly, a woman protester at the Balibandha Ghat said, “Mahanadi river and Goddess Samaleswari are the identity of western Odisha. We take a vow today to continue fighting for our rights with the government till our last breath.”
It is pertinent to mention here that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced a redevelopment project worth Rs 200 crore for the shrine of Goddess Samaleswari in Sambalpur in February this year.
Under the redevelopment plan, four heritage gates will be built on the four sides of the temple and other infrastructure facilities like parking slots, vending zones, toilets will be set up near the temple for the welfare of thousands of devotees and tourists who throng the shrine every day.
Apart from that, housing projects for servitors of the temple are also on the anvil while the government has also planned to construct a 30-meter-wide road to connect the temple zone with the Mahanadi river bank. The road will help in the daily conduct of Mahanadi Alati rituals for the presiding Goddess.
The government has also earmarked to set up a scheme under the 'Samaleswari Temple Area Management & Local Economy Initiatives’ for the development of 108 acres of area around the temple.
As per reports, Minister Prafulla Samal, MP Kulamani Samal and MLA Debashish Samantaray had to face public wrath during their visit to Hasina village along with district collector to provide the ex gratia amount and Rs 10,000 assistance from the Red Cross Fund.
However, the villagers opposed the visit of the elected representative and demanded that the compensation amount should be increased to Rs 10 lakh.
Sources said some families of the victims even did not take the compensation.
Earlier, the villagers had staged a road blockade yesterday demanding a hike in the compensation amount and the district administration officials had assured to look into the demands. They alleged that the people's representatives hurriedly visited the village and distributed Rs 4 lakh compensation as declared by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik following the mishap on January 2.
Meanwhile, body of the six-year-old girl, who was missing after the boat mishap, was recovered by the ODRAF team today.
Earlier, bodies of nine persons were fished out from Mahanadi river mouth near Nipania on Wednesday night. All the victims were residents of Hasina village in Jagatsinghpur district.