Sources within the Water Resources department have revealed that groundwork is currently underway on both banks of the Koel River for the establishment of another In-Stream Storage Structure (ISS) at Hamirpur in Rourkela.

The persistent drinking water shortage experienced by Sundargarh town and certain parts of Rourkela is anticipated to be resolved within a year upon the completion of three ongoing ISS projects along the Ib and Koel rivers.

These ISSs have been meticulously designed not only to ensure an ample supply of drinking water to the urban areas but also to meet the water and irrigation requirements of neighboring rural communities, while also facilitating communication links.

Former Sundargarh MLA and district coordinator of Nabin Odisha, Jogesh Singh, indicated that the two ongoing ISS projects along the Ib River at Kudabaga and Kopsingha in the Sadar block are expected to be operational by March 2025. He noted that the dry spells during summer, exacerbated by barrages upstream in Chhattisgarh, have been a major contributor to the water scarcity in Sundargarh town and surrounding areas of the Sadar block. However, completion of these projects is expected to alleviate these issues significantly.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ceremonially laid the foundation stones for the Kudabaga and Kopsingha projects in January 2022. The government had emphasized that these projects would benefit approximately 47,000 residents of Sundargarh municipality and villages in the Sadar and adjacent blocks. Additionally, these barrages are set to facilitate irrigation across 488 hectares of land, promote fish farming, and improve accessibility to major roads for villagers in Lephripada and Tangarpali blocks through bridges atop the storage structures.

Simultaneously, efforts are underway on a similar ISS project along the Safei River at Kinjirma in the Sadar block. Furthermore, construction of another ISS project along the Ib River at Abankela in the Tangarpali block is slated to commence shortly, as per Singh.

Sources within the Water Resources department have indicated that groundwork is being laid on both banks of the Koel River for another ISS at Hamirpur in Rourkela. Following the monsoon season, construction of the superstructure for the ISS is planned with a target completion date of March 2025.

The ISS project at Hamirpur primarily aims to address drinking water storage needs, stabilize a major lift irrigation project, and establish a self-sufficient irrigation area in nearby rural communities of Kuanrmunda, Bisra, and Nuagaon blocks under the Birmitrapur Assembly segment.

Notably, during the summer of 2016, the Rourkela Industrial Township within the RN Pali Assembly constituency faced an unprecedented drinking water crisis when the Koel River ran dry. The ISS project at Hamirpur is expected to alleviate drinking water shortages not only in Koel Nagar, Shakti Nagar, and Jagda but also across the Rourkela Assembly segment.