Sambalpur: Drought in Sambalpur district even if there is Hirakud Dam!
Sambalpur: Sambalpur district, home to the famous Hirakud reservoir, is also experiencing frequent droughts. Farmers in many blocks of the district are suffering from drought. However, due to non-availability of Insurance money during the address, the farmers’ organization has to went for a protest. Many irrigation projects announced by the Chief Minister are yet to be implemented. While the state government aims to provide irrigation facilities to 35 percent of the land in each district, it is said that only 32 percent of the total agricultural land in Sambalpur district can be irrigated.
Out of the 9 blocks in Sambalpur district, only the entire Dhankuada and Maneshwar blocks are irrigated by the water of Hirakud reservoir. Although under Hirakud Command Area, hirakud water is hitting limited areas of Jujumura, Rengali and Jamankira Blocks. Water does not reach the end of various canals. Due to drought, farmers are trying to save the kharif crops by any means. However, in the meantime, few lands are being irrigated in different ways. As much land is considered to be irrigated through large scale irrigation projects, in reality not so much land is irrigated. Although the government has taken steps to provide irrigation facilities to the unindustrialized and tribal-dominated Kuchinda sub-district of the district, it has been delayed due to various reasons. Farmers of Kuchinda sub-district consisting of Kuchinda, Bamra, Jamankira blocks mainly depend on monsoon rains for kharif crops. A proposal to build a dam on the Veden River at Chitra near Kuchinda has not been implemented since the time of the construction of the Hirakud Dam. Before the 2009 general elections, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the construction of several barrages and bridges over the Veden and Kharla rivers at Budulapally. Out of which, tenders for the proposed barrage at Budulapali were tendered but later cancelled. In the last year 2021, when the tender was called for the construction of barrages in Budharaja, Kirashasan, Janakdihi, the work started less than a few days. After the cancellation of the tender for the Saida project, a new tender has been called. The proposal to build a dam on Shagdeswar Nala and Shankhvanguni river is also stalled due to some reasons. The government has faced protests from farmers in the past as they ignored their demands.
Drought is persistent in Redhakhol subdivision. A few years back, a survey was conducted for the construction of Chirasrota Champali Jor Dam. But that project is in cold storage. According to official data, there were 86 check dams in Redhakhol sub-district, but due to poor quality of work, only 15/17 check dams are being used by farmers. Kerandi river dam is in need of maintenance. Widespread corruption is observed in the construction of check dams through the minor irrigation department in the district. While check dams are constructed to at least save the Kharif paddy crop, most of the check dams have failed in their intended purpose. According to a report, only 68,807 hectares of land in Sambalpur district is getting irrigation facilities. Out of this, 44 hectares of land are reservoirs, 5,386 hectares of open wells, 3,008 hectares of tube wells/deep wells, 9,006 hectares of surface irrigation, 13,234 hectares of small irrigation projects, 31,57 hectares of large irrigation projects and 6,242 Hectares of land are irrigated by other means. However, the farmers said that during the rabi season, less farmland is irrigated.
