Sambalpur, July 5: In response to rising water levels triggered by the release of water from Chhattisgarh’s Kalma Barrage, the authority of Hirakud Dam in Odisha’s Sambalpur district is set to open six sluice gates of the reservoir tomorrow, following traditional rituals and puja ceremonies, officials said on Saturday.

This will be the first floodwater release of the season from the Hirakud reservoir, Chief Engineer of Water Resources Department, Chandra Sekhar Padhi, said.

The water level at Hirakud reservoir currently stands below the danger mark, and authorities have assured that no flood-like situation exists in Odisha at present. However, if rainfall continues and inflow increases, more gates may be opened to manage the reservoir’s capacity.

Historically, a significant portion of Mahanadi’s water, over 52% annually, flows directly into the sea due to lack of downstream storage infrastructure. Despite promises made in 2018 by the previous BJD government to construct seven barrages at locations like Godhaneswar, Deonga, Kapasira, Khairmal, Subalaya, Manibhadra, and Mundali, no tangible progress has been made on these projects.

Notably, local farmers and riverbank communities continue to face water scarcity during dry spells, especially when Chhattisgarh closes its gates post-monsoon. The absence of adequate water retention structures in Odisha has long been a point of contention in inter-state water management.

During the 24-year tenure of the BJD government, several barrage and dam projects were proposed, including seven key barrages downstream of Hirakud. However, no major dam was constructed in the lower basin during that period. Critics argue that while the river was often invoked in political rhetoric, tangible action on water retention remained limited.

The current BJP-led government has announced plans to construct 16 dams and 15 barrages along the Mahanadi to address water scarcity and improve irrigation and drinking water access. Legal proceedings over upstream water usage by Chhattisgarh are also ongoing in the Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal, formed in 2018.

Meanwhile, Chief Engineer Padhi emphasized that all rivers in Odisha are currently flowing below danger levels, and the Water Resources Department is fully prepared to handle any eventualities.

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