Sonepur: The state government is set to build two instream storage structures in Mahanadi basin to store water of Mahanadi and Tel rivers at Khairamal in Boudh district and at Godhaneswar in Subarnapur district, a report said Sunday. Funds worth Rs 1,950 crore will be spent for the construction of the two projects. The matter came to the fore after the state government Friday gave its approval to a proposal submitted by the state Water Resources department.
It is learnt that very soon the state Water Resources department will float tenders for the construction of the two projects which will open the floodgates of opportunity for the residents of Subarnapur and Boudh districts. The in-stream storage structures aim at the creation of large tanks on the Mahanadi riverbed without any displacement. The construction was necessitated after it was observed that the water flow in Mahanadi was reducing to a great extent during non-monsoonal seasons due to the construction of several barrages by the Chhattisgarh government upstream of the river. The Godhaneswar project will be bigger than that of Khairamal. Water from the two rivers were flowing into the sea during the rainy season without being put to any use while the riverbed was remaining dry during summer. The projects, when completed, will ensure the availability of drinking water, increase groundwater levels, and water conservation apart from boosting fisheries and water tourism. The twin projects will also help provide water to industrial plants and lead to growth of the hotel and hospitality industries. Residents of Sonepur town, Ulunda, and Birmaharajpur blocks in Subarnapur district as well as those in Boudh town, Boudh and Kantamal blocks in Boudh district will benefit from the projects. The twin projects will help fulfil the growing water demand for drinking and domestic purposes and irrigation to the farmlands during rabi season through mega lift irrigation points built on Mahanadi and Tel river basins. Concerned, the state government prepared a master plan to make proper use of the water of Mahanadi and its tributaries. The state government in 2017 decided to construct multiple barrages on Mahanadi.
A preliminary survey was conducted and later a technical advisory committee gave its approval to the construction of the projects. However, the projects got delayed. Sonepur MLA and the then state finance minister Niranjan Pujari while presenting the annual Budget for 2023-24 FY had announced the construction of the two projects in Subarnapur and Boudh districts. The Water Resources department in Boudh had prepared a detailed project report (DPR) of Rs 925.59 crore for the construction of the project at Khairamal in the district which is about three kilometer from Rameswar in Sonepur town, the confluence of Mahanadi and Tel rivers. A similar DPR of Rs 1,024.81 crore was also prepared for the construction of the project at Godhaneswar in Birmaharajpur block which is about 20 km from Sonepur town, the district headquarters of Subarnapur district. The engineer-in-chief (EIC) of the state Water Resources department had sent the proposal to the state government for administrative approval May 22 but hung fire briefly.
However, the proposed projects got a fillip when the Chief Minister’s Personal Secretarycum-5T Secretary VK Pandian visited Subarnapur district July 4. Pandian visited Rameswar and reviewed the implementation of the proposed Khairamal project. He assured me that the projects will receive administrative approvals very soon. Finally, after the state government’s approval August 18, it was learnt that the tender will be invited as per EPC (engineering procurement and construction) contract basis.
