Bhubaneswar, Dec. 4 -- Serious concerns over the safety of the Hirakud Dam were raised in the Odisha Assembly on Thursday, with Opposition BJD member Prasanna Acharya warning that severe siltation has significantly reduced the reservoir's water-holding capacity.
Speaking during Zero Hour, Acharya said that according to last year's assessment, the reservoir's capacity had declined by 27 per cent due to massive silt accumulation.
He cautioned that the continued absence of desiltation efforts poses a major threat not only to Odisha but to the country as a whole.
Highlighting a shortage of technical staff responsible for dam maintenance, the BJD Deputy leader urged the state government to immediately undertake desiltation measures and ensure...