Bhubaneswar: After Odisha faced three consecutive days of rainfall due to a depression, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari has instructed officials to commence evaluations of crop losses resulting from the heavy downpour.
During a review meeting held on Monday, Minister Pujari emphasized the need to provide compensation to impacted farmers within 24 hours after the assessment of the crop damage.
The minister reassured that the state government is well-prepared in case of flooding in the Baitarani River or other waterways.
Recognizing that relentless rains have caused crop damage in certain regions, Pujari directed district administrations to promptly conduct surveys, determine the extent of the crop losses, and submit their findings to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
He mentioned that a comprehensive review meeting with all 30 district administrations would be held after the conclusion of the Rath Yatra to discuss disaster preparedness and management strategies related to ongoing rainfall.
Jajpur district has reported at least two breaches in the embankment of the Kani River, a tributary of the Baitarani River, specifically at Kantapada in the Dasarathpur block. One breach measures 70 feet, while the other is 50 feet long.
Floodwaters have inundated nearby agricultural fields, according to a revenue department official, with reports of flooding in several panchayats, including Malikapur, Duduraanta, Shushua, Mangalpur, and Kanikapada, as well as in some low-lying areas.
Dillip Kumar Rout, Engineer-in-Chief of the Water Resources Department, acknowledged that floodwaters have overtopped the embankments in two locations, submerging agricultural land within Jajpur district. However, he reassured that the situation is under control, as water levels at Akhuapada in the Baitarani River are receding and remain below the danger threshold.
Rout stated, “Since there is no further rain today, the situation is well under control.” He added that this initial spell of rains for the monsoon season has not posed a flood threat across Odisha, with river levels for the Mahanadi, Devi, Jalaka, Kushabhadra, Rushikulya, and Ib remaining below dangerous levels, despite the heavy rains across the state in recent days.
Regarding the Mahanadi’s condition, the Engineer-in-Chief indicated that sluice gates at the Hirakud dam might need to be opened due to a gradual increase in inflow to the reservoir.
The current water level in Hirakud stands at 606.12 feet against a full reservoir level (SRL) of 630 feet. “We plan to release some excess water from Hirakud dam on July 9, after the rainwater has passed through the Mahanadi river. The current inflow to the dam is approximately 1.80 lakh cusec, which may rise to 2.5 lakh cusec within a day,” he noted.
Rout further explained that the water level near Mundali in the Mahanadi river is currently at 3.26 lakh cusec, which is expected to reach around 4.5 lakh cusec following the release of excess water from the Hirakud dam on July 9. “Only if the water level at Mundali reaches 5 lakh cusec can one anticipate a minor flood within the Mahanadi river system,” he concluded.
