Odisha CM seeks cooperation from Jharkhand counterpart for early completion of Ichha dam

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has shot off a letter to Jharkhand counterpart Hemanta Soren seeking his cooperation in early completion of Ichha dam over river Kharkhai in Jharkhand  for benefit of farmers belonging to both the states.

Patnaik also sought cooperation of the Jharkhand CM for storage of water up to Full Reservoir Level  (FRL) in Chandil dam in monsoon season for mitigation of flood in Odisha. He said Subarnarekha irrigation project of Odisha will be able to utilise its full irrigation potential only after completion of Ichha dam by Jharkhand Government.

“I am happy to know that Government of Jharkhand has taken up Ichha dam construction work recently. Odisha Government will extend all cooperation for Ichha dam construction and reimburse Odisha’s share cost of dam in time,” Patnaik said in the letter.

A sum of Rs 1026.91 crore has so far been paid to Jharkhand Government for the above works against the estimated share cost of Rs 1208 crore of Odisha, he added.

“36 villages in Odisha are affected under Ichha dam reservoir sub-mergence area at FRL 225m. Accordingly, land acquisition and resettlement and rehabilitation (R & R) work in Odisha portion have been taken up. As of now, 5196 acres  of land (98%) out of 5283 acres has already been acquired. Rehabilitation assistance has been paid to 1268 out of the total 1369 project affected persons,” informed the Odisha CM.

He further appraised that Chandil dam has been completed since long but water has been stored up to RL 181.50 m during monsoon against FRL of 192 m due to R and R issues.

“As full storage capacity has not been utilised in the dam during monsoon season, we are facing flood havoc more often. I seek your co-operation in early completion of ichha dam ,” said the Odisha CM.