NGO urges govt to revisit Hirakud rule curve, dam safety

OST Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Oct 10:

Sambalpur-based NGO Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO), has issued an appeal to the state government seeking a review of Hirakud dam’s safety aspect as well as its rule curve.

In the appeal, Ranjan Panda, convenor of WIO has expressed serious concern over the fact that the Mahanadi delta is under the threat of a severe cyclone at a time when the Hirakud reservoir on river Mahanadi is full and flood waters are still being released from the dam.

“Although the government has taken a decision to shut the dams of Hirakud if the rainfall intensifies over the delta following the cyclonic storm, a dangerous situation may develop if it there are rains in the upper catchments at the same time. This has happened in the recent past and both Hirakud and Rengali dams have miserably failed to deal with the situation, “ Panda said.

While urging the state government to take serious note of their appeal, Panda lamented that their earlier calls for revisiting Hirakud’s rule curve and safety aspects had gone unheeded.