CHAPTER - II STUDIES OF EMBANKMENT SYSTEMS IN ORISSA

Transcription

1 CHAPTER - II STUDIES OF EMBANKMENT SYSTEMS IN ORISSA

2 CHAPTER - II STUDIES OF EMBANKMENT SYSTEMS IN ORISSA HISTORY OF EMBANKMENTS Embankments intended to secure protection against destructive inundation appear to have existed in very early times1, but whatever ancient works there were must have been isolated, and it has been held that they were rather of the nature of mounds of which villages were built. While the country generally was open to inundation, though canals were of recent construction in Orissa and owned their origin to the private enterprise of the East India Irrigation Company2, the embankments had existed form the earliest times. There is a long gap in history, which makes it difficult to trace when and how the miles of earthen embankments were constructed at the vulnerable places so as to train the course of rivers in the delta areas3. It offered a means of protection from flood, where the riverbanks were low, causing irreparable damages to cultivable lands. It also acts as protective barrier in coastal belt, which was always prone to inundations that threatened to life, property and standing crops. The government had no systematic policy for embankments. In Orissa some embankments were constructed during the reigns of the Hindu kings and since the time of Mahammadan and Maratha period. Some were constructed by the British government before the settlement. In the final report on "The Survey and Settlement of the province of Orissa ( )" S. L. Maddox writes for Cuttack district "for protection from inundation a portion of the district has from time immemorial been guarded by embankments and under the British rule the protection has been systematised and large sums have been expanded on the perfecting of embankments'4. 54

3 The town of Cuttack is situated in the form of Mahanadi and Kathjori. The stone revetment built by the imperial Ganges protects the town from the flood of the Kathjori. Some outlying portions of the town is actually under the level of that river. Under the Marathas the Zamindars were bound to maintain the embankments and for this purpose were allowed to make the certain deductions from the revenue. But they cared only for the embankments within their Zamindaris5. By regulation VI of 1806, an embankment committee was formed which was entrusted with the supervision of all the embankments. The Committee reported that the embankments had not been repaired for any length of time and some had been covered with jungles. But government was unwilling to spend money for the improvement of embankments. IN 1813, a surveyor of embankments was appointed6. In 1828, the Cuttack revetment required repair. In duly 1828, the Military Board in Calcutta permitted Thomas Pakenham, commissioner, to remove stones from the Barabati Fort for the repair of revetment. In 1831 the Public Works department took over the embankments. The surveyor was then designated as the superintendent of embankments. In 1847 the Military Board suggested that all the embankments in Orissa should be levelled for the passage of flood water. In January 1847 Moffat Mills, the Commissioner, opposed the suggestion on the ground that 'the system has took long prevailed to admit of so sweeping a remedy'. The government of Bengal took time to arrive at a decision. The effect was that the annual repairs of the embankments were stopped which considerably weakened the embankments. This was followed by 'another 55

4 equally serious mistake'. In 1850 the superintendent in charge of embankments rejected nearly half of the existing embankments as useless and expended as little or nothing on what remained (Despatch of the Court of Director dated the 4th August 1858). During the floods of 1852, 1853 and 1854 there were about 2,000 breaches. In 1855 Captain Harris further demolished the Barabati Fort and removed stones to repair the Cuttack revetment. After the great flood of 1855 government decided to improve the embankments. There were 1,365 breaches that year and it was apprehended that the number of breaches would increase in case of high flood in An Embankment Act, XXXII of 1855 was passed. In about one lakh twenty thousand rupees were spent on repair work. In his report in May 1858, Harris observed that there was remarkable coincidence between the rise of the destructive power of flood and the development of the embankment system. In 1861 the Bengal Government sanctioned about 50,000 for the construction of 123 sluices in the embankments. In 1866 a Committee was appointed to suggest how far inundation could be prevented. T.E. Revenshaw, Commissioner, was appointed Chairman of the Committee. The Committee proposed that a protection rate be levied at the rate of 8 annas per acre in the areas liable to inundation. In , W.C. Taylor, SD0, Khurda was deputed to make an accurate record of all existing Government and Zamindari embankments. He reported that there were about 510 miles of government embankments and 248 miles of Zamindari embankments in Cuttack district. He considered that another 498 miles were required to 56

5 complete the system but his proposals were not accepted7. In 1872 R H. Rhind, Superintending Engineer, proposed re-alignment of embankments. He mentioned in his report about existence of 658 miles of embankment and he considered that total length should be increased to 707 miles. In 1890, the Kujang estate wanted to construct some embankments to keep out salt water from the lands bordering the Jumboo and other creeks to the north of the Kendrapara Extension Canal. The Public Works department was unwilling to grant permission on the ground that embanking of tidal channels was objectionable. After some correspondence, government gave permission to construct a few embankments in the tract to the northeast of the Kendrapara canal under certain restrictions8. In 1894 C.W. Odling, the Chief Engineer of Irrigation department prepared a complete list of embankments to be maintained and abandoned. He divided the embankments into five classes. Class-I embankments were connected with the canals and were to be kept intact; Class-II embankments on large rivers above high flood levels were to be maintained permanently. Class-Ill embankments were to be abandoned in future after abandoning the Class-IV and V, Class-IV embankments were of no real use and class-v were practically abandoned as the tract, they supposed to protect, were already covered by Class-I embankments. Later on the embankments were reclassified as class-a and class-b and serially numbered afresh district-wise. At the time of commencement of the settlement operations in 1890 there were 969 miles of embankments of which 372 miles proposed to be abandoned and 597 miles were to be retained. Odling proposed to 57

6 abandon 141 miles of Class-IV embankments so that only 456 miles would remain to be maintained properly9. In Balasore district according to the report of Naddox, there was no comprehensive system of protective embankments. Henry Rickett's report on Balasore district in 1833 stated existence of 91 miles of embankments in the settlement of the existing mileage under PWD was 84 of which 74 miles were under Class-I and II. Regarding Puri district the total length of embankments existing at the time of the settlement was 257 miles 1250 feet, which excluded 62 miles 1405 feet of class-v embankments already abandoned. The total length is found that 969 miles in Cuttack 84 miles in Balasore, 257 miles 1250 feet in Puri and in all 1310 miles 1250 feet of embankments excluding those already abandoned10. THOMPSON'S LIST OF EMBANKMENTS: A. S. Thompson's report on 'The Orissa Rivers' published in 1905 gives a complete list of embankments from which it appears that there was a total of 804 miles 2343 feet of embankments of both A and B classes in the coastal districts of Cuttack, Puri and Balasore, which protected sq. miles. A. S. Thompson has also recorded about the existence of 67,713 sluices along these embankments. The statement below adapted by P. C. Mahalanabis from A. S. Thompson's data shows the length of embankments for each river and the area protected by such embankments11 in Table

7 TABLE LENGTH OF EMBANKMENTS OF RIVERS IN ORISSA Name of Rivers Embankments in Miles Protected Area in sq. miles Mahanadi Brahmani Baitarani Salandi Kopali Subarnarekha 23^ Sea (salt) TOTAL Source : P. C. Mahalanabis Report, H. A Gubbey, Superintending Engineer, gave the following figures for areas dealt with under Orissa 'Canals and Embankments' in Puri, Cuttack and Balasore district in Protected from all floods and irrigated sq. miles Protected from all floods but not irrigated sq. miles Total fully protected... 1,030 sq. miles Total protected from low floods... 1,020 sq. miles Total protected... 2,050 sq. miles Open to floods... 1,254 sq. miles Total 3,304 sq. miles 3. Shaw, Executive Engineer, floods and drainage who was also the Secretary of the Orissa Flood Advisory Committee 1938 gave the 59

8 following figures to the interim report of the Orissa Flood Advisory Committee13 in Table-2.2. TABLE DETAILS OF RIVERS AND THEIR LENGTH Mahanadi sq. miles Brahmai sq. miles Baitarani sq. miles Total sq. miles 1. Delta Area Protected Area served by canals Area protected but not irrigated Semi-protected area affected and inundated only by high floods Total area protected Areas frequently flooded High ground and jungle not ordinarily flooded Length of embankments Government Private Total length of Embankments Source : Report of J. Shaw,

9 In before merger of the princely states the ejnbankments as maintained under the PWD in the districts of Cuttack, Puri and Balasore are 638 in miles and 2202 in feet14. In prior to the floods of 1955 the total length of embankments maintained under the PWD were 849 miles 1330 feet15. UNIFICATION OF AGENCY FOR MAINTENANCE OF EMBANKMENTS: A number of embankments have been constructed under the perview of this Act in the 20th Century. In the meantime there have been various political and economic changes such as the partition of the province of Bengal in 1905 and the later formation of the State by name "Orissa" in the year This has been followed by reconstruction of the state of Orissa by merger of the princely state in the year 1948 and the present state Orissa has come into existence. This has however not suffered any alternations during the reorganisation of states in the year Inspite of these changes the Act under the perview of which construction of embankments are permitted and regulated, stands unrepealed and quite a number of provisions need modifications. On the heels of changes with political set up, there have been general socio-developmental activities in the last two decades following Indian Independence and for various reasons and excuses, many departments of the government did take up and construct flood embankments in a discontinuous and incoherent manner all.over the state. 61

10 The difficulties have been discussed in a meeting presided by the Development Commissioner on at Bhubaneswar and it has been decided therein that control over all embankments of the state should be vested in a unified agency i.e. the irrigation and power department exercised through the state's Chief Engineer In-charge of flood control and his subordinate engineering officers16. Broadly it was decided to categorize the embankments in 2 classifications namely those, which are to be retained as embankments and to be maintained as such and those which do not merit any such maintenance and can be allowed to denude with time. In accordance with this decision, it came under the perview of the irrigation and power department of the government of Orissa. The system of embankments for flood protection as it exists today in Orissa coastal districts are of five types i.e.17 I II III IV V Capital Embankments Other Agricultural Embankments (OAE) Saline Embankments (Luna Bandha) Test Relief Embankments Protective Gherry Bandha or Ring Bandha The basin-wise distribution of the length of embankments in Orissa coastal zone are given in the Table-2.3. Capital embankments are mostly the flood controlling embankments, which protects government capital investments such as irrigation works, civil construction, government buildings, near the town, cities and head works. Other agricultural embankments are mostly the floods controlling 62

11 embankments along the either side of the rivers to prevent spilling of floodwater to the adjoining areas. Those embankments protect mostly agricultural and small towns. Saline embankments have been constructed in the Chilika section and down stream of the Mahanadi Delta nearer to the sea to prevent the saline wave and tidal water (salt water) ingression into the agricultural land and other areas. The test relief embankments are constructed by the Revenue department of the government of Orissa at places for flood control, but however, those embankments do not have the capacity to carry even medium flood Zamindari, private or labour intensive embankments which are allowed to provide protection against flood upto a height not exceeding 3'0" above natural surface level. They are liable to flood wherever the danger level is crossed. Out of 2000 km, 900 km is accepted to be approved as such. The protective Gherry Bandha or Ring Bandha are the circular embankments around the villages are riverine islands to protect from flood water invasion in low lying pockets in the lower reaches of the delta. These types of embankments are specially more in the Mahanadi- Brahmani and Baitarani delta section18. The Table-2.3 gives the details of categories of embankments in Orissa. In the rainy season the capital embankment and 0.A embankment are approachable with difficulty, which are important for flood protection.19 63

12 TABLE LENGTH OF EMBANKMENTS IN THE ORISSA COASTAL PLAIN SI. No. Section Name Category of embankments (in kms) Flood Saline Test relief Total 1. Mahanadi Brahmani Baitarani N.B. : In the other river sections of the coastal plain, the embankments re of limited extension. Source : Memorandum to the National Flood Commission, Irrigation and Power department, Govt of Orissa, FLOOD PROTECTION IN MAHANADI DELTA: This portion covers the coastal plains of the Cuttack and Puri districts extending from Dhamra mouth of the Baitarani in the Cuttack district to the Chilika in the south. The Doab-wise distribution of the embankments in the Mahanadi Delta has been given in the Table-2.4. In the Mahanadi delta, there are kms of capital embankments, 403 kms of other agricultural embankments, 261 kms of saline embankments and 48 kms of test relief embankments. In the Kathjori and Kuakhai system there are 1200 kms of double embankments, which have been designed to carry a discharge of 8.5 lakh cusecs safely. But, however, in the northern section from the Brahmani in the north to the Devi in the south, the embankments are continuous20. To the sections south of the Devi river, the embankments' are discontinuous with flood escapes called causeways or locally 'Kaja' in the river embankments at the head of the doabs through which flood water escapes into the agricultural fields when the Mahanadi flood exceeds 6 lakh cusecs at Naraj. The Gherry bandha have been raised in and around 64

13 the Devi-Kandal island, Devi-Biluakhai island. Baialis Mouza, Mahanadi- Paika, Nuna-Chitrotpala Island in the main delta portion. In the Brahmani- Baitarani doab similar ring bandha are there around Ali, Kanika, Olavar and Rajnagar area. The river Mahanadi has a multipurpose project at Hirakud for flood retention, which was commissioned in 1956 to moderate the flood hazard in the delta of Cuttack and Puri districts and to irrigate in Sambalpur district and to generate hydal power21. TABLE DISTRIBUTION OF THE LENGTH OF THE EMBANKMENTS IN THE MAHANADI DELTA Name of the Interfluves Categories of embankments and length in kms. Capital Other Agricultural Saline Test Relief 1. Mahanadi Kathjori-Devi _ 2. Mahandi-Chitrotpala- Birupa-Brahmani Luna-Chitrotpala Area to the cast of high level canal Range-1 5. Kathjori-Devi- Kushabhadra Kushabhadra-Bhargabi Daya-Bhargavi Area to the west of Daya Total 1, Source : Hydrology and Flood, Delta Development Plan, Irrigation and Power Department, Govt, of Orissa, Bhubaneswar,

14 According to the flood memorandum 1977, the following Table- 2.5 gives the list of up-to-date different classes of Total Embankments. TABLE List of Up-to-Date Different Classes of Total Embankments SI The River Basins Capital Ordinary Agricult Saline No. Embankments ural Embankments Embankments Class - A Class - B Mile Feet Mile Feet Mile Feet 1. The northern rivers 37 4, The Baitarani , The Brahmani 86 1, , , The Mahanadi 216 2, , The southern rivers Total 356 4, , ,200 Source : Memorandum to National Flood Commission, Irrigation and Power Department, Govt of Orissa, Bhubaneswar, The districtwise mileage of different categories of embankments has been shown in the flood memorandum in Table

15 TABLE -2.6 DISTRICT WISE TOTAL MILEAGE OF EMBANKMENTS IN ORISSA SI Name of Mileage of Embankments No. District Capital & O.A. Embankment Saline Embankments Mile Feet Mile Feet 1. Balasore Cuttack Dhenkanal Ganjam Keonjhar Kalahandi Puri Total Source : Memorandum to National Flood Commission, Irrigation and Power Department, Govt of Orissa, Bhubaneswar, FLOOD PROTECTION IN BRAHMANI-BAITARANI DELTA SECTION: For flood protection in Brahmani and Baitarani, dams were constructed. The Rengali Dam Project was commissioned in 1987 with an aim to moderate the floods in the Brahmani-Baitarani delta down stream of Jenapur22. This has been designed to reduce the peak flood of 7.6 lakh cusecs to 4 lakh cusecs at Jenapur on the Brahmani. Besides, there exists 640 kms length of embankment on its left bank and

16 kms of saline embankments in the Bhitarkanika-Dhamara sector. In the Baitarani river there are 165 kms of embankments mostly on the right side without any detention reservoir. The Salandi has been dammed at Hadgarh to control its flood protecting Bhadrak town from the danger of the floods. The proposed Bhimkund Project over the Baitarani is designed to reduce the flood at Akhuapada to 3 lakh cusecs. FLOOD PROTECTION IN OTHER SECTIONS: Besides these, the north coastal plain is the least protected. The Subarnarekha and the Budhabalanga has no embankments along the Balasore coast exists for about 50 kms to the north of the Dhamra mouth. In the southern section of the coastal plain around lake Chilika and to its south, the island of the lake has been protected with circular ring embankments. To the south of lake Chilika along the Ganjam coast. There are also no embankments and the floodwater from the sea and the river mouth spills over near to the National Highway No.-5 and even causes breaches on it. But however, it affects the narrow fringe zone between the National Highway No.-5 and the Chilika Coast. Construction of embankment is not the main stay for complete of flood protection23. To achieve reasonably safe and permanent flood control it is necessary for us to think of construction of at least one dam in each of the rivers Baitarani, Brahmani and Burhabalang, Subarnarekha, Rushikulya and Mahanadi24. Though a few dams have been constructed on the above river systems yet. It may take long time for construction of other new dams. It is therefore necessary to earmark 68

17 at least some money in the Five Year Plan periods for the fulfilment of the investigation of the aspects25. Now the state is absolutely independent in its administration from the province of Bengal and that the state has its own irrigation Act, it is now time to consider an act to provide for the construction, maintainance and remodelling of embankments for the purpose of flood control and drainage. This act may be called 'Orissa Embankment Act'. According to this act protection of floods and strengthening of embankment is possible by our government26. According to this Orissa embankment Act now-a-days three types of embankments have been introduced viz.- (1) Capital embankments, (2) Orissa agricultural embankments and (3) Test Relief embankments in the districfcof Orissa. The total length of 51 capital embankments is km., 98 OAE embankments are kms and 219 Test Relief embankments is km. Besides there are 61 numbers of Saline embankments with a total length of 708 kms along the coast. The canal embankments and some capital-intensive embankments like those around Cuttack town are categorized as Capital embankments. Out of 11,000 sq. km. liable to flood, in this district about 7,500 sq.km, were provided with protection, embankments by the end of 7th plan period. Sluices are provided in embankments to release discharges from drains or nallas falling into the rivers. The channels of river Mahanadi have a strong embankment system but the river Brahmani and the Baitarani doabs are still vulnerable. Master plans for flood protection works in Baitarani and Brahmani rivers are under preparation 69

18 by the Irrigation department27. Hirakud and Rengali dam constructed on the Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers respectively are operated in such a way that river discharge at the head of the delta does not exceed the maximum flood discharge for which embankments are designed. CANAL SYSTEMS IN ORISSA: The important proposal to use the flood waters of Orissa was brought by Sir Arthur Cotton, who was deputed to visit the province, to advise as for controlling the flood waters of Mahanadi. He recommended the construction of irrigable and navigable canals following the principles then being carried out in the deltas of Godavari and the Krishna. He estimated that an area of 2.25 million of acres might be irrigated and navigation might be opened up between Orissa, Midnapore and Calcutta28. On the advice of sir Arthur Cotton, the East India Irrigation Company was tempted to take up the work with a view to gaining much profit out of it like the irrigation work in the deltas of Godavari and the Krishan. The Secretary of Madras Irrigation Company appraised the Board of Directors of the East India Company of the benefits of the construction of irrigable and navigable canals of Orissa29. The company started the construction of canal works in The work sanctioned thereon include Taldanda, Machgaon canals for irrigation of lands between Mahanadi and Kathjori, the Kendrapara and Pattamundai canal for the irrigation of the area between Chitrotpala and Birupa and 3 ranges of the high level canal for the irrigation of the country from Cuttack to Bhadrak31. These works were undertaken for providing irrigation, navigation and drainage system to protect the state from floods32. 70

19 TABLE MONEY SANCTIONED FOR DIFFERENT TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION WORKS BEFORE 20 CENTURY Works Sums granted in Rupees Mahanadi weir and sluice ,00,000 Dam around Cuttack ,000 Birupa Weir ,00,000 Naraj Weir ,50,000 Kendrapara Canal ,00,000 Taldanda Canal ,00,000 Jobra Anicut ,000 Midnapur canal ,00,000 Taidal canal ,00,000 Total 86,00,000 Source : W. A. Inglis, 'The Canal and Flood Banks of Bengal, Calcutta, The money sanctioned for different types of works were 86,00,000 Rupees. The works were nearly completed on 29th May Only 1257 acres were irrigated out of a capacity of 1,95,000 acres owing to fear of enhancement of rent33. The main systems of Orissa canals are given below - TALADANDA CANAL: Its head lock and the head sluice is situated near the south abutment of the Jobra river. It is navigable miles long and 71

20 has a full discharge of 1,150 cusecs. It is capable of irrigating, together with its branch the Machgaon canal, an area of 63,250 acres. Total area commanded by it is 157,301 acres. This canal falls into the Mahanadi at Paradip. MACHGAON CANAL: It is for irrigation only. It leaves the Talanda canal at Biribati, 7 miles from the head and is 32 miles long. It is navigable up to the first 4 miles only. KENDRAPARA CANAL: It starts from the south end of the Berupa weir and is navigable. It extends to Oambu, which is 54 miles from the head. The outfall lock admits boat traffic to the Oambu tidal river, which runs into the harbour of false point a few miles from the lock. GOBRI CANAL: This canal starts from the 28th mile of the Kendrapara canal. It is a navigable channel and runs for 15.5 miles to the Gandakia river. GOBRI EXTENSION CANAL: This canal starts from the opposite side of the river Gandakia. It is six miles long and falls into the Brahmani at Alba. PATTAMUNDAI CANALS: It takes off from the Kendrapara canal half a miles below its head. It is an irrigation canal and is not navigable. It is 47 miles long. From the escape fall at its end a feeder channel over 3 miles long supplies fresh water to the Gobri extension canal. 72

21 The capacity of the Kendrapara canal system taking the main canal and the Gobri canal together is 11,000 cusecs at the head. These two command an area of 144,588 acres of this 68,393 acres are suitable for irrigation. Pattamundai and Gobri Extension canal together have a supply of 500 cusecs and command an area of 78,400 acres, of this 40,600 acres are suitable for irrigation. HIGH LEVEL CANAL RANGE-I: 1.5 miles from the offtake of Berupa from the Mahanadi is the masonry weir impounding the water for the supply of this canal, which starts from the north side of the weir. It is navigable and is 33 miles long and ends in the Brahmani river at Jenapur. Its available supply at head is 500 cusecs. It commands an area of 47,737 acres of this 24,568 acres are suitable for irrigation. RICKETT'S CANEL: This canal 9 miles long was intended for the transport of salt to the port of churaman of the Matai river. In 1823 the Governor General Sectioned an expenditure of about Rs.59,000 for a canal from Basudevpur on Matai to the rivers Gumai. Though it was called Ricketts canal. It was completed before 1826 when Henery Ricketts came to the Balasore district as magistrate. HIGH LEVEL CANAL RANGE-II: This canal has its head sluice and lock at Pattia weir. It is 12 miles in length and is navigable. It ends at Rorya on the Baitarani river and commands a gross area of 10,000 acres of which 5,974 acres were irrigated in The full supply of the canal at the head is 600 cusecs. 73

22 HIGH LEVEL CANAL RANGE-III: It takes off at the Baitarani river and is navigable. It is 19 miles long and ends at the town of Bhadrak on the Salindi river. Full supply is 600 cusecs, and the area commanded by distributaries is 56,313 acres of which 39,349 acres are suitable for irrigation. 3 A3 PUR CANAL: The head lock is situated at the point of the strip of land between the Burha and Brahmani rivers. It runs for 6 miles to Oajpur and commands 35,644. acres of which 21,677 acres are suitable for Irrigation Its full discharge is 600 cusecs. THE ORISSA COAST CANAL: This canal is a continuation of the older Hijili Tidal canal in the Midnapore district. The Hijili Tidal canal leaves the Hooghly river at Gowankhali, 45 miles from Calcutta. Range-I, which is 11 miles long, ends at Etamagra on the left bank of the Huldi river and about a mile lower down on the right bank is the entrance lock of Range-II at Terapakia. Range-II ends at Kalinagar, the 30th mile, on the left bank of the Rasodpur river. At Bhatigur, about half a mile down on the right bank, the coast canal commences. Three and a half miles from Bhatigur is Surpai river, which has been canalised as far as Contai in the 47th mile. From the canalised Surpai, at the 40th mile, the coast canal, Range- Ill continues to Bhograi, at mile 65, on the Subarnarekha river, Range-IVA leaves the Subarnarekha at Jamcoonda, 69th mile, ands at Panchpara lock on the river of the same name at mile 86. On the opposite bankof of the 74

23 Panchapara is Sulpatta lock, the entrance to Range-IVB, which continues to Nulcool 93Id mile on the Burhabalang. The town of Balasore is seven miles up the river from Nulcool. About 2 miles below Nulcool, on the right bank, Range-V begins at Chargachia, and continues to the Matai river at Charbattia, at th mile. The coast canal is for navigation only. Dudhai canal is a minor irrigation canal. Embankments and canals provide more security from floods34. The efforts of government to implement the valuable suggestions of A.C. Cotton, Colonel Rundell, Capt. Beadle, Lt. Harris and Prof. P. c. Mohalanabis would have led to banish floods from the province. On the whole the problems remained ever unsolved till the end of British rule. But now-a-days in the 20th century all the problems are decreasing day by day as the government has taken several steps for eradication of flood problems in Orissa. ABANDONED EMBANKMENTS Some embankments have been abandoned as superfluous. A portion of the embankment of the Nuna, the embankment of the Ratnachira for the last eight miles of its course, the portion of the Kendrapara canal embankment after Jambu, the Kuakhai embankment upto Mancheswar, the Daya embankment from Tirimul downward have been abandoned. The embankment of the right bank of the Panchapara and the embankments of the Kathjori beyond the island of Sankarsai had been removed. The embankments of the coast canal south of the Subarnarekha and of the Dudhai canal have been abandoned. The embankments of the Dumka and Madrung rivers, branches of the Devi have been abandoned.35 75

24 EMBANKMENTS CLOSING RIVER HEADS: Embankments have closed the heads of some rivers and spill channels. In north Balasore, embankments have completely blocked the Karkara and Alumeda rivers. The Kia Nalla, which had its head above the town of Jajpur, Benga Nadi, Jonai Nadi and Patpur Nalla were affluents of the Baitarani, before they were closed by the Baitarani right embankment. The Kendrapara canal at Marshaghai blocked a creek of the Gobri falling into the Nuna at Mahakalpara. It has been recently opened up. Since the canal to Jambu has been abandoned. The Gobri was connected with the Birupa by a spill channel, which was closed by the Pattamundai canal embankment. The head of the Chhota Genguti on left bank of the Birupa was cut off at its head by an embankment about Similarly the head of Chhota Brahmani was permanently closed by an embankment. The Kharsua was closed at its head in 1896 during the construction of anicuts across the Patia and Brahmani. Two spill channels have been cut off on the left bank of the Nuna near its junction with the Chitrotpala by the construction of an embankment. The head of the Suk Paika has been closed a decade ago. The Sonakhatta, a branch of the Biluakhai has been closed at its head. The Prachi river was closed at its head by the Kuakhai left embankment early last century. The heads of the Sartha and of the Gumai were blocked by the coast canal embankment and the rivers were diverted.36 Besides the above area there existed a large number of embankments in the branches of the Mahanadi, the Brahmani and the Baitarani rivers in the delta and these embankments were called Orissa agricultural 76

25 embankments (OAE). These OA embankments used to give substantial protection to the respective areas during ordinary floods. Breaches used to occur in these embankments during high floods. After construction of Hirakud dam and Delta project, irrigation in the delta of the Mahanadi has been provided for two crops (Kharip and Rabi). The canals have been extended to irrigate more area. Most of the capital embankments have been raised and strengthened and jeepable roads on the crests have been provided for better maintenance. It is observed that after Hirakud Dam come into existence no breaches have occurred in any of the capital embankments which have been raised and strengthened and also in the new capital embankments which have been constructed. On the Kuakhai right, a high level fall has been constructed at Mancheswar restricting the flood spills during low floods in the Kuakhai. ON the Daya left, there are three such escapes namely Belmora, Madhipur and Kanti. When the new canals were constructed Belmora and Madhipur 37 escapes have been closed and Kanti escape is still in existence. In Bhargavi river there is an escape at Achyutpur on the left bank. In Kushabhadra river there were two escapes one at Jogisahi on the right bank and the other at Ramachandrapur on the left bank. No escapes have been provided in the other capital embankments of the Mahanadi delta. At present there are a number of escapes on the right bank of the Kharsua such as Tantighai, Routaraghai, Similiaghai etc. There is a large escape just downstream of the old Brahmani anicut on the left bank of the Brahmani which is called Jabra escape. 77

26 A large number of OA embankments have been constructed in all the branches of Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarani rivers after Most of these were constructed out of test relief grants by the Revenue Department and these have been now taken over by the irrigation department. In addition to these, there are a number of Saline embankments protecting large tracts of land from saline inundation for agricultural purposes. There are kms of Capital embankments, kms of OA embankments, kms of Saline embankments and kms of other embankments in the above deltaic area. The river-system-wise abstract is given below in Table TABLE RIVER SYSTEMWISE EMBANKMENT IN ORISSA River System Capital Embankmen ts in kms. Other Saline Agricultural Test Relief A. Mahanadi System B. Kathjori System C. Kuakhai System D. Brahmani System E. Baitarani System Total Source : Report of the 1975 Flood Enquiry Committee. April 1977 headed by Shri K. S. Raghupati, IAS and Member Board of Revenue from to Appendix-I. The river wise details of these embankments are enclosed in 78

27 REVIEW OF EMBANKMENTS: The great mistake of the 19th century was the construction of a large number of embankments without any system and with the motives of self-protection only. Arnott, Superintending Engineer, wrote in this connection - "It will be seen that the protection given by the embankments of the Kuakhai and its branches is only very partial and that the Puri district will always be liable to be badly inundated, when a flood of any considerable magnitude comes down themahanadi while things remain as they exist at this present time." In the 19th century, the embankments were constructed without taking into consideration the scouring action of water. The river and canal banks badly eroded and there were frequent leakages.39 But during 20th century Modernization of river and canal Banks started gradually. til In the first quarter of 20 century, the coast canal embankments caused the silting of the Gumai and Atilabad streams. An intricate and haphazard system of embankments rose in course of years for protection against flood. Even loops and bends of rivers were embanked. The Dhamarpur circuit in a loop of the Brahmani and the Tie bunds on the Birupa at Gopalpur and Indupur are examples of superfluous embankments. Private embankments were raised in the interests of particular areas only. Everybody asked for embankments, ready to cast the water upon his neighbours. The neighbours also constructed embankments to save themselves. The villagers 79

28 further raised the existing bunds, if they found that the existing heights were not enough to protect them from highest flood. In the first decade of the 20th century, government became conscious about the superfluity of some embankments, some of which were abandoned, and paved escapes were made for the passage of floodwater. In 1901, Government, by legal action, forced the villagers of Rahapur private embankment, which they had raised to save them from th ^l Bf8i3!r? Kharsua.40 IMPORTANT EMBANKMENTS IN ORISSA '!* r.. ^ ^.4 The Aul Ring Bund encloses 50 square miles of courvtryuf which was constructed by the Raja of Aul under Section-VI of the embankments Act of It stretches from the left bank of the Brahmani, six miles above Indupur to the Kharsua. In the south it almost extends up to Alba. The Ring Bund had been in existence for more than 100 years. During this period when the lands outside got silt deposits every year and got higher, the level inside the Ring Bund remained almost where it was with the result that it is lower on the average by six feet than the country outside, forming a cup like depression with a low saucer inside. The Ring Bund is situated between the Raj Kanika embankment on the north along the Kharsua and Utikan and the Gajaria embankments on the south like a ball in the neck of a bottle. As the flow of spill water is obstructed by the Ring Bund, a large volume of spill water from the Kharsuan 80

29 overtops the banks and spreads over the tracts between the Baitarani and Kharsua. The Utikan embankment on the Brahmani runs in continuation of the Pattamundai embankment of which the Gajaria embankment is a further continuation. The utikan and the Gajaria embankments have raised the flood levels in their vicinity by reducing the surface slopes in the lower reaches of the Brahmani. The Gajaria embankment a private embankment is the worst offender. The drainage of the Dhanua Basin at Puri was very largely obstructed by private embankments. Several of these ran at right angles across it. The Bhograi and the Joki embankments in north Balasore meet at right angles, creating a low lying pocket between them which is filled by the flood water of the Subarnarekha even to a depth of ten feet.41 The second mistake was the inattention to the progressive deterioration of the river channels. The river embankments by confining the spread of flood water raised the beds of the rivers above the level of the surrounding country. Drainage question was not taken into consideration when the canals were constructed. The result was that the fresh flood water level was raised and confined in the territory between the lower portions of the Kendrapara canal and Taldanda canal that is from Marsaghai to Paradeep. In the tracts, which lie to the north east of the Taldanda canal, the embankments enhanced the bad effects of saltwater inundations from storm waves. The stagnation of water in the area between the Kendrapara and Patamundai 81

30 canals embankments caused malaria and depopulated flourishing villages like Mahanga and Kuanpala towards the end of the 19th century. The flood enquiry committee of 1928 recommended the abandonment of certain embankments on the ground that they obstruct free flow of drainage embankments in Orissa are associated with public opinion.42 The people of unprotected areas protest against discrimination and one cry of the inhabitants of the protected areas is for higher and stronger embankments. SPILL CHANNELS: Many of the spill channels were rivers, which are now choked. The Kani, Dhanua and Kelua have become spill channels to the Brahmani, Kushabhadra and Birupa respectively. The Prachi and the Sonamunhi Duant have become spill channels. The spill channels draw excess water from the rivers in flood, thus indirectly preventing breaches in embankments. But a large volume of sand during the floods is thrown over the country through the spill channels or ghais. The Matagunjar and the Kauria, spill channels of the Brahmani have rendered considerable areas unfit for cultivation by spreading sand. But the silting of some of the natural spills has aggravated flood in some places. The Jatadhar estuary is situated between the mouths of the rivers Mahanadi and Debi. Before the construction of Taldanda and the Machhgaon canals, excess water of the Mahanadi and the Debi used to flow through this spill channel. The Ersama police station is now subjected to foold due to the silting of the Jatadhar spill channel.43 82

31 It was observed that towards the end of the 19th Century, and beginning of 20th century the Oanardan Ghai of the Brahmani and Palasahi Ghai of the Kharsua caused considerable damages. The Janardan Ghai increased since the construction of a continuous flood bank on the Highlevel canal Range-I. In the first decade of the 20th century, a weir was built across it. The Palasahi Ghai, uniting with the Similia and Tanti Ghais, runs almost like a river. RESERVOIRS: Colonel Rundall, Chief Engineer of the East India Irrigation and Canal Company had suggested flood escape canals to reduce the flood 44 volumes of the Kathjori and Kuakhai. As the cost of land required for such escapes proved to be formidable obstacle. It was decided to examine construction of reservoirs with double purpose of storing water at times of flood and providing a large supply for the river in the dry season. Col. Rundall in a note dated the 12th December 1862 wrote - "The total quantity of water that must be stored in order to preserve the delta from inundations such as it was visited in 1855 is calculated to be about 8,000 millions cubic yards. Supposing that sites could be found which would afford an average depth of 10 yards all over the reservoir, the area of ground to be occupied will be 800 million square yards or in round numbers 270 square miles. But the construction of reservoir was first suggested by Captain Short, officiating, Superintendent of embankment. In his note dated the 83

32 6th June 1858, he advocated it as preferable to the Daltala escape, proposed by Captain Harris. Captain Beadle, Superintendent of Embankments supported the proposal of Captain Short. In his letter to the Chief Engineer, Irrigation, dated the 21st August, he suggested that reservoir be constructed in the upper valleys of the Mahanadi and its tributaries, so that floods in this region might be arrested or to a great extent retarded. J. P. Walker, Executive Engineer, investigated the upper region of the Mahanadi and its tributaries. No sites suitable for reservoirs were found on the main river at that time. A fairly suitable site for Dam on the Tel river was found at Baligaon, about 58 miles above Sonepur, Walker also selected a site at Rampur on the lb river for a reservoir.45 After the high flood of The Government of Orissa took the responsibility of construction of Hirakud Dam and other Dams and embankments on the rivers of Orissa. Reservoirs for storing water at the headwaters of rivers can be traced back over many centuries. The Sudarsan Lake was formed in Saurashtra by building a dam across a river during Mauryan period. The reservoir provides protection against flood by storing floodwater in basins formed by dams.46 So that it is prevented from contributing to the flood in the river system downstream. A flood control reservoir is designed primarily to decapitate the peak discharge. Moreover the water in storage has a cash value. The 84

33 possibility of putting floodwaters to use is great in Orissa where seasonal flood characteristics are strongly developed. During flood, a great deal of sediment is carried from the drainage basin above the reservoir due to land erosion to the reservoir, thus reducing its storage capacity. This makes sedimentation a serious problem in small reservoirs. Big reservoirs have thus great advantage as in the design of such reservoirs due allowance is made for sediment storage. It is opined that Reservoirs and embankments are necessary for the economic prosperity of Orissa. They will controll flood, generate electricity and by providing water for irrigation, they will increase food production for a rapidly growing population along with this proper irrigation facilities. REFERENCE : 1. Memorandum to National Flood Commission, Govt, of Orissa, Irrigation and Power Deptt., 1977, p P. C. Mahalanobis Report, Govt, of Orissa, Irrigation and Power Deptt., 1928, p Floods in Orissa Rivers during , Final Report, Govt, of Orissa, Revenue (Special Relief), p Final Report on the Survey and Settlement of Orissa, , Vol.-I and II Maddox, S. L. Calcutta, 1900, p-84, Vol.-I. 5. Memorandum to National Flood Commission, 1977, OP Cit, p Mukherjee, P., Irrigation, Inland Navigation and Flood Problems in North Orissa during the British Rule, Govt, of Orissa, Irrigation and Power Deptt., Bhubaneswar, 1967, P

34 7. W. C. Taylor, Report on the Embankment, 18 December Final Report on the Survey and Steelement of Killu Kujang, , Calcutta, 1900, P Floods in Orissa rivers during , Final Report, Govt, of Orissa Revenue (Speical Relief), P Final Report OP. Cit, p-30, 'Floods in Orissa Rivers', Govt, of Orissa. 11. Thompson A. S., 'The Orissa Rivers', 1905, P H. A. Gubbey, Superintending Engineer's Report, Orissa Canals and Embankment, Public Works Deptt., 1920, P Report of 3. Shaw, 'Interim Report of the Orissa Flood Advisory Committee', ; 3. Shaw, B.Sc. Executive Engineer, Floods and Drainage Division, Public Works Deptt., Orissa, P Floods in Orissa Rivers during OP Cit, P Floods in Orissa Rivers during OP Cit, P Planning and Co-ordination Deptt., Memo N dt Memorandum to National Flood Commission, Govt, of Orissa, Irrigation and Power Dept., Oanuary 1979, Bhubaneswar, P Panda, G. K., The Drainage and Floods in Orissa Coastal Plain', a Dissertation submitted in Utkal University in the year 1987, P Report on the Embankment of Orissa, 1871, Public Works Department, P Panda, G. K., Drainage and Flood in Orissa Coastal Plain, OP Cit M. G. Hiranandani, London, Superintending Engineer, Delta Irrigation Circle, 'Hirakud Dam Project', Report on the Investigation for Extension of irrigation in the Mahanadi Delta, Government of India, Ministry of Irrigation and Power, New Delhi. 22. Project Profiles of Irrigation and Power Projects (proposed for World Bank Credit Assistance), Govt, of Orissa, Irrigation and 86

35 Power Deptt., 1978, P Seminar on Floods in the Mahanadi Basin held on January 1983 on the occassion of Silver Jubilee Celebration of Orissa Engineers Service Association, Bhubaneswar, P Das Balbhadra, Flood Problem in Mahanadi Basin and Possible Measures for flood Moderation, in the Seminar on Floods in the Mahanadi Basin held on January 1983.P Dutt and Sundharam, Indian Economy, Planning in India, New Delhi 1989, S. Chand & Company Ltd., Ram Nagar, P P. Mukherjee OP Cit, P Master Plan for Flood Control for Brahmani and Baitarani, Irrigation and Power Deptt., Govt, of Orissa, Bhubaneswar. 1960, P Memorandum of R.E. Cotton, May 185.8, Report of the Indian Irrigation Commission ( ) Part-II, P W.A. Inglis, 'The Canals and Flood Banks of Bengal (Calcutta, 1909), P W.A Inglis, O.P. Cit, P Orissa Project, contract between the Secretary of State and the East India Irrigation Company, November 28, Maddox Report, Vol.-l, P.22, and Board of Revenue, Lower Privince, Land Revenue Department, Irrigation Branch, File No.-Ill of 1881, Orissa Canal Project, PP Report of Commissioner appointed to enquiry into Certain Matters etc., 1884, Appendix-G. 34. P. C. Mahalanobis, O.P. Cit, P-95 and Board of Revenue, Lower Privince, Land Revenue Department, Irrigation Branch, File No.- III of 1887, Flood in Orissa Division, P.-l. 35. P. Mukherjee, O.P. Cit, P P. Mukherjee, O.P. Cit, P K. S. Raghupati Report of 1975, April 1977, OP Cit., P

36 38. K. S. Raghupati Report, OP Cit., P A. S. Thompson 'Rivers of Orissa', P P. Mukherjee, O.P. Cit, P A. S. Thompson, O.P. Cit, P Report of flood enquiry committee 1928, Govt, of Orissa Irrigation & Power Dept. P Arnott - Quoted in Thompson, 'Rivers of Orissa', 1905, P P. Mukherjee, O.P. Cit, P P. Mukherjee, O.P. Cit, P A. B. Pattnaik, 'A Framework of Flood Control Measures in the Mahanadi Basin', P