Keonjhar: The Kanjhari Dam irrigation project, once considered a successful venture in Keonjhar district to resolve agrarian distress, is now struggling to meet its objectives owing to severe staff shortage and lack of adequate funding.
The crisis has led to difficulties in the maintenance and management of its canals, leaving farmers without reliable access to water for irrigation.
The dam serves as a key component of the region’s water distribution network, with approximately 30 km of canals to its right fl ank, and nearly 31 km on the left, stretching from Patana to Rajanagar. However, in the absence of regular maintenance and staff crunch, the dam water is not reaching the end of the canals. This is affecting farmers who rely on the canal water for their crops.
The irrigation system, which is supposed to be managed by a team of around 40 employees, is currently running with only three staff members, leading to inefficiencies in canal upkeep. Most of the 22 outsourced workers employed by various agencies are assigned to administrative offices, leaving crucial maintenance tasks unattended. In addition to staff shortages, the delay in funding which has hindered necessary repair works, has led to dissatisfaction among local farmers. The canals need regular maintenance to remain functional.
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Farmers have expressed their anguish over the disruption of the canal at several places which has led to water loss, and inadequate irrigation for crops. The project was initially meant to irrigate approximately 10,900 hectares across various blocks. However, due to the ongoing crisis, far less land has benefited from the irrigation system. Sources said 19 pani panchayats function under the irrigation project. However, most of them have become non-functional due to shortage of funds.
Opposition leaders, such as Binod Bihari Nayak, pointed out that politicians and officials make promises to farmers without taking any concrete actions. They argued that the state’s leaders are quick to express sympathy for farmers in public, but the actual delivery of resources to support agricultural irrigation remains a distant dream. Sources said apart from the supply disruptions, a park project under the irrigation system, intended to provide further infrastructure support, has been delayed for years, causing further frustration among local population. Road and bridge construction projects, essential for safe transportation across the dam area, have also been stalled, forcing commuters and vehicles to navigate through unsafe conditions.
Kanjhari Dam’s Associated Engineer Chaturbhuja Nayak said he is aware of the problems and attributed those to staff shortages and funding constraints. However, he maintained that work will commence once the necessary resources and staff are in place. He said some projects, such as the construction of the park, will be completed in the coming months.
PNN
