Bhubaneswar, 4 December (H.S.): The safety of the Hirakud Dam emerged as a key issue in the Odisha Assembly on Thursday after Deputy Leader of Opposition Prasanna Acharya raised serious concerns during the Zero Hour.
Acharya informed the House that an assessment conducted last year revealed a 27% decline in the reservoir’s water-holding capacity. He warned that excessive silt accumulation and inadequate maintenance could lead to grave risks for Odisha and the nation in the coming years.
He also criticised the state government’s decision to allot land near the reservoir to private companies for major hotel projects, stating that such moves overlooked critical safety considerations for one of India’s most vital dams.
Responding to the concerns, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari acknowledged the seriousness of the issue. He said the Centre had formulated a Dam Safety Act between 2019 and 2024 to ensure stronger regulatory mechanisms for dam management. Pujari added that he had recently discussed the matter with the Union Jal Shakti Minister.
The Minister further informed the House that a Japanese firm had earlier been engaged for silt removal. However, the project could not be completed due to the presence of dense vegetation inside the dam area. The state government has since briefed the Centre about the challenges.
Pujari assured that efforts to enhance Hirakud Dam’s safety infrastructure are currently underway and that necessary action will be taken to address all identified risks.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
