Post News Network
Cuttack, June 23: The Jobra barrage on Mahanadi here may be in danger when floodwater inflow increases forming a few sandy islets in the reservoir.
An old stone embankment upstream has created a few islets in the reservoir. The water holding capacity of the reservoir has gone down significantly due to sand deposits and increasing islets. The district administration had proposed to dismantle the stone embankment and dredge the islets for the safety of the barrage.
The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), which is planning to source water from Mahanadi for its Paradip oil refinery, had agreed to provide funds for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) work. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai, has been roped in to provide technical support for the project, sources said.
According to sources, collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra, during a review meeting April 4, had asked the IIT panel to conduct a survey on the stone embankment and the islets. The panel was directed to submit its survey report within a month. The project work was supposed to begin after the completion of the survey.
The IIT panel, however, is yet to submit the survey report even though two and half months have elapsed since the review meet. Consequently, the project work has not been initiated so far.
A preliminary estimation has put the expenditure for the demolition of the stone embankment at `27crore and `103core for dredging work. However, the final expenditure for the two projects will be finalised after completion of IIT panel survey, district administration sources said.
Irrigation department officials and city-based intellectuals have expressed apprehension on the barrage safety during the flooding season.
The collector, “We are yet to get the survey report from the IIT panel. We are planning to demolish the stone embankment first before dredging the islets.”
