Hadagada dam surviving odds

BHADRAK: The Hadagada dam needs immediate overhauling for effective use of the system. High floods in Salandi river in recent past and lack of maintenance have reduced the intake capacity of the dam and affected other services.
"The 22.5 sq km ponding area has shrunk due to siltation and sedimentation. The earth dam badly needs reinforcement of stone packing," said an engineer of the dam, requesting anonymity.
"The three sluice gates and eight radial gates have also developed leakages. These have not been replaced since the dam was constructed in 1960. Most importantly, the dysfunctional diesel generators should be replaced on a priority basis," he added.
Official sources said during 1999 floods, the radial gates could not be opened when the water-level crossed the danger mark of 83.2 metres. Reason: The diesel generator, the emergency source of high-voltage power to open the dam gates and for lighting other services, was defunct. The water spilled over the gate, endangering the dam structure.
"We thought the dam would collapse. The operators also panicked and did not enter the dam," said Sajana Munda, a resident of Hadagada.
But even 14 years after the incident, nothing much has changed. The infrastructure hinges on the bare minimum.
Moreover, the threat is not limited to the dam, around five lakh people living along Salandi river also fear for their lives. The river also passes through thickly populated areas of Bhadrak district.
"During rainy season, the water level invariably reaches the danger mark. The district administration has often ordered against releasing water, as it would then inundate the populated areas. To save the dam, it is important to increase its capacity and renovate the infrastructure," the engineer said, adding, "A two-member committee of the central water commission had visited the dam on April18, 2011, and their report based on remote sensing technique and satellite imagery is still awaited."
Executive engineer of the Salandi Canal Division Chinmay Ranjan Rout said the mechanical wing of the department of irrigation would repair the gates. "We have sought Rs 4 crore from the World Bank under dam rehabilitation and improvement project to fix other problems in the dam," Rout added.