Post News Network
Bhawanipatna, Sept 13: Indravati reservoir, which plays an instrumental role in augmenting irrigation facilities and power generation of the state slipped to an all-time low as the water-level shrunk to 631.01 metre this month due to scanty rainfall.
The water retaining capacity of the reservoir stands at 642 metre while the current water-level stands at 11 metre lower than the actual level. This has spell disaster for the Kharif crops while farmers are apprehensive that if the situation continues the Rabi crops will also be affected. This has pushed the farmers into distress as they ponder over a bleak future ahead with the state government yet to take any efforts to tackle the situation.
This has not only dampened the hopes of the farmers but equally hit power generation. Sources said the water-level had twice slipped to 634 metre after the hydro-power project in the reservoir became operational in 1999. However, the water-level slipping down to 631 metre is perhaps the lowest in its history.
The reservoir helps in irrigating over 1, 28,000 hectare of land and generates 600 megawatt of power for the state. It is also considered as the lifeline of Kalahandi district and plays a crucial role in increasing power generation among all the hydro-power projects in the state. The reservoir is filled with water collected from 2630 sq.km of catchment areas of Kalahandi and Koraput districts but the low rainfall has dampened these prospects.
Given the constraints, the reservoir is only releasing 80 cubic metre of water for irrigation and generating only 240 megawatt of electricity. Observers said that this has happened as the reservoir has got buried due to constant soil erosion which has thus reduced its water retaining capacity day by day.
When contacted, senior general manager Mahendra Das of Orissa Hydro-Power Corporation said the area should witness more rainfall that will help the water retaining capacity of the reservoir to reach its optimum level.