Srikakulam: Bahuda turns dry in AP as Odisha draws entire water

Srikakulam : As nighbouring Odisha using up whatever water in Bahuda river through its project, the river has no water flow in the district. Bahuda enter AP at Boddabada village in Itchapuram mandal. The Odisha government constructed a dam across the river at Bagalatti which is a major project across the river in Odisha state. The height of the dam is 106 metre and water is usually stored in the dam up to 95 metre. Odisha is releasing water into the river after meeting its requirements. As a result, sufficient water availability is rare in the river. As there are no rains this year, the situation turned worse this year.

To draw water from the river, the Andhra Pradesh government constructed 11 open head channels. But these channels were damaged due to the Titli cyclone in the year 2018. Since then, restoration and repair works have not been taken up. Weeds and thorny bushes have spread wildly in the river and no proper desilting and river bund strengthening works have been taken up.

In addition, some local leaders and their followers are excavating sand from the riverbed illegally with the active connivance of officials of the departments concerned. Due to indiscriminate digging of sand from the river, even the small quantity of water is not flowing properly and not reaching the open head channels constructed on the river.

Against this backdrop, farmers in Itchapuram Assembly constituency have lost their hopes on water from the river for the current kharif season. “Reason for water scarcity in Bahuda river is as upper riparian state Odisha is drawing entire water from the river. In this regard, several discussions are going on between two states but nothing positive came of it,” said irrigation superintending engineer Dola Tirumala Rao said.