Sambalpur: Sudarshan Haripal, MLA of the Rengali Assembly constituency under Sambalpur district, has raised a question in the Assembly regarding the water storage capacity of the world-famous Hirakud Dam. MLA Mr. Haripal asked the Chief Minister in the Assembly how much the water storage capacity of the world-famous Hirakud Dam under the Ministry of Water Resources was, and how much the storage capacity has declined due to silt accumulation. What is the current active storage capacity, what is the government's action plan for removal of silt, and how many villages are affected by floods every year as a result of water being released from Hirakud Dam. Along with this, how much compensation has been provided to district-wise affected families since 12 June 2024. Has the government proposed to prepare a digital database of Hirakud displaced persons, if so,
by when will it be completed and if not, what is the reason, MLA Mr. Haripal asked in the Assembly through unstarred question number 811.
The Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi provided a written answer to this question. According to the Chief Minister's answer, as per the original project report of 1957, the dead storage, live storage and total water storage capacity of this dam are respectively 1.88, 4.72 and 6.60
million acre-feet. Similarly, according to the 2000 assessment, the water storage capacities of this multipurpose reservoir are respectively
0.87, 3.91 and 4.78 million acre-feet. According to the data provided by the Chief Minister, in the meantime the dead storage capacity of this dam has declined by 1.01 million acre-feet, while the live storage capacity has declined by 0.81 million acre-feet. The Chief Minister Mr. Majhi stated in his written answer that the total water storage capacity has declined by 1.82 million acre-feet. After this answer by the Chief Minister, the total water storage capacity of the world-famous Hirakud Dam, regarded as a temple of modern India,
has declined by 1.82 million acre-feet in the meantime. This serious situation has arisen due to the deposition of huge quantities of silt in this multipurpose reservoir. As a result, the water storage capacity of the dam is declining. The Chief Minister has not given any answer to MLA Mr. Haripal's question regarding the government's plan for removal of silt from the dam. Similarly, in response to the question regarding preparation of a digital database of Hirakud displaced persons in today's digital age, the Chief Minister has also stated in his written answer that the database has not been prepared. It is clear from this
that the water storage capacity of Hirakud Dam, which is being used for flood control in Odisha, the state's agriculture and industry-based economy, as well as various other multipurpose activities, is continuously declining. On the other hand, while the Chief Minister has answered in the Assembly on the basis of the assessment report prepared in 2000, 26 years have passed in the meantime and in reality this water storage capacity may have declined further, because extensive silt accumulation is taking place inside Hirakud Dam every year, which not only poses a threat to the safety of the dam but also creates the possibility of the dam gradually moving away from its original objective.