Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, August 6: A meeting of officials of Orissa and Jharkhand governments would be held in Baripada Friday over effective flood management on Subarnarekha river, water resources department officials said.
The chief engineers of the water resources departments of the two neighbouring states are scheduled to attend the meeting of the joint coordination committee.
Water resources officials said both the states have decided to thrash out a collaborative solution as the floods in River Subarnarekha have been affecting the riparian states for several years.
The states had received heavy rainfall under the influence of the cyclonic system ‘Komen’ over North-West Bay of Bengal occurred between July 27 and 28.
The river has wreaked havoc in the north-coastal districts of the state in the recent floods and the situation has improved in the past four days.
However, the flood situation in river Subarnarekha continues to be grim due to release of water from Galudihi barrage in Jharkhand. Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas may further worsen the situation.
Moreover, the state government has no information about the amount of water entering the Chandili dam in Jharkhand and the amount released from the dam.
Experts have opined that the warning transmission systems at these dams need to be made more effective and rules should be framed for fixing the water levels in these dams to prevent losses arising out of the floods.
As many as 4.79 lakh people were affected due to the recent floods in Subarnarekha, Baitarani, Budhabalanga and Jalaka river systems in the state which also left 597 villages under 15 blocks in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Bhardak and Balasore districts marooned. Five persons died due in the floods.
