Sambalpur: A demand is raising for putting up a barrage under the upcoming bridge across Mahanadi at Sambalpur to meet its water needs. District collector Samarth Verma told Orissa POST Friday that he had sought opinion from the state government in this regard as people have approached him in this matter.
A proposal in this regard could be submitted after obtaining a green signal from the state government. I have sought opinion from the state government in this regard, he added.
People of Sambalpur face water woes due to water scarcity in Mahanadi soon after commissioning of Hirakud Dam in 1956. Then a small anicut had been constructed on Mahanadi to address the water woes. The existing anicut Ayoddhya Sagar, constructed in 1962 in the name of then Governor Ayodhyanath Khosla, is now in a dilapidated state. Its role was to retrieve river water that became scanty soon after the construction of Hirakud dam upstream here. Thousands of people besides 25,000 floating population depend on Mahanadi to take bath and for their other needs. The existing anicut is low as it was designed to cater for the needs of a thin population of the town. At present, the population of Sambalpur has swelled to over 4 lakhs. So there is the need of a barrage which should replace the existing anicut.
Raising of the demand, Mahendra Mishra and Surendra Sahani, the president and secretary respectively of Sambalpur Citizen Welfare Committee told Orissa POST that a demand for a barrage across Mahanadi was mooted long back and we want to renew this demand now.
Water flow in Mahanadi at Sambalpur dwindled soon after the construction of Hirakud dam, as the regular flow is contained upstream. So the existing anicut came into existence to cater for the needs of people. However, it is no longer in a serviceable condition. The committee has sent a memorandum to the chief minister through the collector.
Jayanarain Mishra, former MLA of Sambalpur, raised the issue in the Assembly in 2004. It was again proposed in 2015 to construct another bridge-cum-barrage across Mahandi near Kachery Chowk to link Chounrpur on the other bank.
The bridge has taken shape now while the second part of the proposal for a barrage is still missing. The two further said local industries should fund the project after the state government approves it. PNN
