Odisha government, on Tuesday, requested Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati’s intervention to address the ongoing flood crisis in the northern part of the state, which is allegedly caused by unregulated water flow from neighboring Jharkhand.
On Tuesday, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari met with the governor and apprised him of the state government’s concerns. The Minister, who updated the governor regarding the ongoing floods in north Odisha, urged the Governor to intervene in the matter and take measures to complete the long-stalled Chandil Dam and Galudih Barrage projects on the Subarnarekha River.
“We have sought the governor’s intervention to take up the matter with the Jharkhand government and ensure completion of dam and barrage projects so that the flood could be controlled in the districts of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Bhadrak,” Pujari told reporters following the meeting with Kambhampati.
Pujari highlighted that even as there was no rainfall in Odisha, certain north Odisha districts, particularly Balasore, are frequently inundated by the water of Subarnarekha River.
This marks the sixth flood in the Subarnarekha River since the monsoon began on June 1, the minister said.
“As the Chandli dam project is not completed, we have no such mechanism to control the flood in the downstream districts including Balasore,” he said.
According to the Minister, there is no mechanism with the state to control the downstream flow, and therefore, every time there is a flood in the Subararekha River, thousands of acres of agricultural land get submerged causing significant crop losses for farmers.
The Minister further stated that he has drawn the attention of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier in this regard and requested him to take steps for completing the dam projects in Jharkhahnd in order to save north Odisha from flood fury.
According to sources in the Water Resources department, Subarnarekha Multipurpose Project, way back in 1978, was launched through a common agreement and joint sponsorship of the governments of three states – Bihar (now Jharkhand), Odisha and West Bengal.
The key components of the project were Chandil Dam and Galudih Barrage across the Subarnarekha, Icha Dam and Kharkhai Barrage across the Kharkai and associated canal network, the sources said.
Originating from Piska near Ranchi, the river Subarnarekha traverses 395 kilometers through Jharkhand, West Benegal and Odisha before ending at Talsari in Balasore district.
“However, the project could not be completed due to lack of coordination among states. Though the Odisha government was prepared to fund its share for the projects, the work on Chandli dam remained incomplete. Therefore, we requested the Governor to take up the matter,” Pujari said.
Governor Kambhampati, meanwhile, urged the Revenue and Disaster Management Department to prioritize human life by remaining vigilant and ensuring zero casualties during floods. He also proposed long-term strategies for flood mitigation, including constructing barrages to divert surplus water for irrigation and other uses.
“If surplus water is diverted to a nearby village, it can be used for irrigation and other purposes. This initiative will also help mitigate flood situations,” Kambhampati said.
Additionally, the governor suggested the interlinking of water basins across states to divert excess water from flood-prone areas to water-deficient regions.
A statement issued from Raj Bhavan noted that this initiative would not only reduce flood risks but also improve irrigation, recharge groundwater, ensure drinking water supply, and support rural livelihoods.
“The governor also asked to have a strategy paper and studies done periodically on Interlinking and Intra-linking of River Systems,” the statement read.
