Fall in Indravati water level hits irrigation, power generation

The Pioneer, May 26, 2009
Bikash Khemka | Bhawanipatna

The receding water level at Indravati reservoir has caused the closure of its electricity production unit since Thursday.

The farmers are going to be the worst sufferers this summer who are cultivating their lands under the Indravati Irrigation Project.

Water of over 500 rivers covering 110 sq km area is reserved in the Indravati reservoir.

As the heat wave continues across the State, the rivers are being dried up resulting in recession of water in the reservoir below its normal level.

Indravati is having the capacity of reserving water 642 meters high but it has receded to 626 meters preventing the generation of electricity. 300 MW electricity is produced every day which is supplied outside the State.

The project has the capacity of generating 1,962 million MW electricity annually, but it generated 2,280 million MW in 2007-08.

Sources said overwhelmed by huge amount of profit, more energy was produced from the Indravati Irrigation Project this year as compared to its generation capacity.

Farmers are now pondering day and night how they will survive if their lands are not provided water from the Indravati Irrigation Project.