Bhubaneswar: Robust and proactive measures are in place to address the low rainfall situation in the catchment areas of major reservoirs, including Balimela and Machkund, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said Monday, assuring that ensuring irrigation facilities while maintaining an uninterrupted power supply remains the state government’s top priority.
Chairing a high-level meeting, Singh Deo, who holds the Agriculture and Energy portfolios, reviewed the situation arising from below-normal rainfall in the catchment areas of major reservoirs, including Balimela and Machkund.
Reduced water availability has prompted the government to outline contingency measures to safeguard agriculture and maintain a steady power supply. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Singh Deo said ensuring irrigation facilities while maintaining an uninterrupted power supply remains the top priority of the state government.
“Water stored in reservoirs would be prioritised for drinking and irrigation purposes, followed by hydroelectric power generation,” he said. He said the Agriculture and Water Resources departments are closely monitoring reservoir levels to ensure that ongoing kharif cultivation is not affected.
The state government has also held discussions with the Union Ministry of Agriculture over the prevailing conditions. Singh Deo said hydroelectric power generation at the Balime la project has been temporarily suspended to conserve water for farmers’ needs. Despite reduced rainfall, he assured that electricity supply across the state remains normal due to alternative power arrangements, adding that there is no need for the public to worry about shortages of electricity or water.
The government has prepared a comprehensive contingency plan to tackle the situation, he said. The Agriculture, Energy and Water Resources departments are working in coordination to protect standing crops.
With hydropower generation affected, the Energy Department has arranged power procurement from the external grid through GRIDCO and OHPC to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. “Our government is also in talks with Andhra Pradesh to resolve technical issues at the Machkund Hydroelectric Project so that full-scale power generation can resume at the earliest,” he said.
Reiterating the government’s commitment, Singh Deo said the state is continuously monitoring the situation and focusing on efficient management of water resources and energy to protect farmers and ensure uninterrupted essential services.
The meeting was attended by Energy Department Additional Chief Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev, Water Resources Department Principal Secretary Shubha Sharma, Agriculture depart ment Commissioner-cum-Sec retary Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, and senior officials from the departments concerned.