Rengali Dam

Rengali dam is located in Orissa. It is constructed across Brahmani River in Rengali village located 70 KM from Angul in Angul district, Orissa in India.^[1]

The dam was constructed in 1985.^[2] The project was not welcomed by the local people during the conception and initial implementation of the project due to the displacement of several people and the way the Government tacked the issue.^[3] The project has displaced a total of 10,700 families.^[4]

Rengali dam is 70.5 m tall and 1040 m wide. The reservoir formed by the dam is the second largest reservoir in Orissa with 37, 840 hectares at full level and 28,000 hectares in mean level. The reservoir has a catchment area of 25,250 km² mostly forests and wasteland. The dam is also used to generate electricity by 5 units with a capacity of 50MW each. The dam holds 3412 million cubic meters of water at Full Reservoir Level (FRL).^[1][5]

A barrage is constructed across the Brahmani river 35 KM downstream of Rengali dam. The barrage is used to store the flood releases from the dam and divert it through two canal systems. It has a free catchment area of 4780 km² and between the dam and barrage. The area records an annual rainfall of 1570 mm on average.^[1][6]

Bhitarkanika Mangroves, located in Orissa adjacent to Bay of Bengal faces a unique threat since the construction of this dam. The species of trees in the Mangroves are fed by the unique combination of salt and fresh water from rivers including Brahmani River. Scientists from Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) and Spatial Planning and Analysis Research Centre Private Limited (SPARC) have performed a study on Effect of reduced water flow through Brahmani-Baitarani river system on the mangrove population of Bhitarkanika estuary.

In their study, the scientists have found that the water flow at the Mangrove delta head before and after the construction of the dam in 1985 is 19,514 million cubic meters and 17,389 million cubic metres respectively. They believe that this level may go down to 14,000 once the full potential of the project will be realised around 2025. They have warned of slow decline and disappearance of the plant species in this mangroves if a sustainable amount of water is not released into the mangroves.^[2]

Rengali Irrigation Project has come under the scanner of India's apex audit institute twice. First, in Comptroller and Auditors General of India's report on Orissa [civil] for the year ending March 31, 2000 on Paragraph 4.1 and again on CAG's report on Orissa [civil] for the year ending March 31, 2008 on Paragraph 3.2.

In 2000, auditors had looked at non-completion of the project, non-accrual of intended benefits and widespread mismanagement in paymet to contractors particularly with reference to construction of the project up to headworks [barrage]. The report had not been discussed by Orissa State Assembly's Public Account Committee as of August 2008 [and probably till date].

In 2008, auditors [for more visit http://www.cag.gov.in/html/cag_reports/orissa/rep_2008/civil_chap_3.pdf ]noted that "due to delay in acquisition of land / nonacquisition of land, nonreceipt of forest land clearance and poor contract management, the project remained incomplete at various stages with investment of Rs 1695.61 crore (March 2008) resulting in cost over run by Rs 1461.97 crore (626 per cent) and time over run by 17 years. The project was not planned in a coordinated manner integrating supports from different agencies for smooth and timely completion of the project. The works were executed in a piecemeal fashion without analysing and assessing their impact on the whole project. The technoeconomicviability of the project as a whole was not reassessed despite instructions of the CWC. Of the 56 packages costing Rs 951.18 crore involved for execution of LBC up to 71 km, 34 packages for Rs 501.60 crore were taken up and only 14 packages for Rs 146.26 crore were completed. The excavated canals were severely damaged due to nonprovision of protective measures which remained unrectified. Trial irrigation was provided to only 0.09 lakh ha of CCA against the designed ayacut of 2.36 lakh ha (four per cent). There were significant lapses in planning and execution of the project rendering technoeconomic viability of the project doubtful. Excavated canals were severely damaged due to nonprovision of protective measures suggested by GSI rendering the expenditure of Rs 103.46 crore on canal excavation unfruitful apart from extra liability of Rs 79.93 crore due to poor planning. Time over run due to delay in acquisition of land, approval of drawings / designs and poor contract management resulted in cost over run of Rs 31.78 crore. A part of the RBC constructed between 1998 and 2006 at a cost of Rs 17.11 crore was severely damaged causing apprehension regarding stability of the canal due to critical configuration of the alignment. Excess payment of Rs 0.87 crore was made to two contractors by recording inflated measurements were also noticed. Overall monitoring of the implementation of the project was poor."

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