Sanjay Patil : Although Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts are bestowed with nature's bounty, the same is creating problems in tapping surplus water available here owing to stringent Forest Conservation Act. Stating this J M Sheikh, Chief Engineer, Gosikhurd Project, on Wednesday also pointed out that days of big dams and irrigation projects are almost over due to new compensation and rehabilitation norms. Therefore, more than no ways and means are needed to conserve, reuse the water or otherwise days of scarcity are not far. Particularly in urban areas, the increasing use of flush in latrines are a big waste in terms of water stock. Some new technologies are needed to curb such huge waste or atleast ensure that sewage water is cent per cent treated and reused, Sheikh stated further while speaking at Irrigation Day programme.
He was invited for lecture to mark the day commemorated to mark birth anniversary of Shankarrao Chavan, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The programme was jointly hosted by The Institution of Engineers (India), Nagpur Local Centre, Sinchan Sahyog, Nivrutta Abhiyanta Mitra Mandal (MSEB) at Kottewar Hall of institution, North Ambazari Road. Er. Shrikant Doifode, President, Sinchan Sahyog, Er. S G Deshpande, Convenor, Er. M D Date, President, NAMM (MSEB), and Er B D Deshmukh were seated on the dais. Sheikh pointed out that Gadchiroli district’s 86 per cent of land is covered with dense forest and only 0.07 per cent is needed for new irrigation project but even after 60-years nothing has moved an inch as Forest Conservation Act is quite inflexible in such matters. Further as per new provision, compensation for acquiring new land is five times the ready reckoner cost plus other amenities that have made new project unfeasible.
Speaking about Nagpur in near future when the population here rises new water sources would be needed to quench the thirst of citizens. Gosikhurd Project is an viable option but before that Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) needs to treat its sewage which is polluting the dam water. Nearly, 400 TMC water is surplus as neighbouring Madhya Pradesh has not utilised its allotted share fully due to dense forest region. Plenty of water is available at Goshikhurd and planning is needed to tap it for fruitful use. Central Government has planned Wainganga-Nalganga link, lifting surplus water from former’s basin in Bhandara area and transferring it to latter's basin in Buldhana district, a rainfall shadow area. The project is not without massive challenges as a long distance would be needed to be traversed for successful transfer of water. Sheikh spoke about the ongoing project of laying 65 km tunnel to divert water from Kanhan river to Pench Dam for meeting drinking water demand of Nagpur city.
Right now project cost is pegged at Rs 3,000 core but is likely to rise to Rs seven thousands core due to overrun as construction is going to be a big challenge, one being not able to use boring machine for drilling tunnel. Therefore, planners have to give thought for reuse of water, cut down per person usage and more than that have focus on replenishment of ground water resources. Sheikh said the Jalyukta Shivar was a nice scheme and same needs to be continued as it rightly addressed issue of rejuvenation. At the outset, Shrikant Doifode outlined the role of Shankarrao Chavan in shaping irrigation policy of State.
Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court, on Wednesday, directed the State Government and Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) to submit a status report about irrigation projects in Vidarbha region and progress made about completion of pending projects. A division bench consisting of Justice Ravi Deshpande and Justice Amit Borkar while hearing a PIL filed by Loknayak Bapuji Aney Smarak Samiti asked the State Government to place on record progress about completion of pending and incomplete irrigation projects in Vidarbha region.
ReplyDeleteThe PIL had sought speedy completion of projects near completion. The Samiti claimed that timely completion of irrigation projects could have averted agrarian crisis and rural distress. According to petitioner-Samiti, 53 projects are incomplete and have the potential to bring 10 lakh hectare land under irrigation.
The Samiti, in its earlier petition filed in 2012, had made similar demand and claimed that ‘Sinchan Shodh Yatra’ had badly exposed the tall claims made by VIDC before various fora including the High Court. In its last detailed affidavit filed last year, VIDC claimed that out of 38 irrigation projects hit by forest land problem, as many as 13 were completed while remaining 25 major projects including Gosikhurd, Khadakpurna, Bawanthadi would be over in coming three to 36 months. The most ambitious Gosikhurd project with ultimate irrigation potential of 2.50 lakh hectare would be completed by December 2021, VIDC had claimed.
The present revised administrative cost of the project was Rs 18,494.17 crore as on September 21, 2016. The VIDC affidavit had stated that since December 2012, these 38 projects had created additional irrigation potential of 63,465 hectare land and additional storage of 887.20 mm3. Giving likely dates of completion of major irrigation projects in Vidarbha, VIDC’s last affidavit filed in December 2018 had claimed that Bawanthadi and Borghat lift irrigation schemes (LIS) were almost ready and would be completed within one month. Similarly, Satrapur LIS, Khadakpurna and Yengalkheda were to be completed by March 2019.
The affidavit had promised to complete all works of Jhashinagar LIS, Palasagaon LIS, Nagthana-2 and Pandhawani LIS by June 2019. Turagondi and Chandas Wathoda projects were to be completed by December 2019. Shirur, Navegaon feeder canal, Kosari, Dhapewada LIS, Kohal, Lower Wardha and Bordi Nalla were to be completed by June 2020. Kahampur, Lower Chargad, Gondegaon and Pandhari would be over by June 2021 while Bendra and Haldipurani LIS were likely to be completed by June 2022. Major projects like Gosikhurd, Bawanthadi and Lower Wardha are being regularly monitored in the war room of Chief Minister while projects receiving Central aid are also supervised by Central agencies. Gosikhurd, Lower Wardha, Bawanthadi and Khadakpurna projects will together create irrigation potential of 3.66 lakh hectare. Upto June 2018, already, 1.58 lakh hectare of land has been irrigated while remaining 2.08 lakh hectare irrigation potential will be created in next 36 months.
In its detailed affidavit before the High Court in a PIL filed by Jan Manch, VIDC had stated that out of 1,108 projects, 788 projects were completed and pre-corporation projects had created 7.01 lakh hectare irrigation potential. Of 314 under-construction projects with ultimate potential of 15,89,761 hectare, as on June 2015, the department had succeeded in creating 4,59,612 hectare irrigation potential, and 99 projects had been completed. According to VIDC, 186 projects were under construction while 29 were affected due to forest land issue. Now, the High Court has decided to examine the actual progress made during last 12 months as per the affidavit and has asked VIDC to file exhaustive affidavit within two weeks. Adv Avinash Kale and Adv Bharati Kale appeared for the petitioner. Adv Vivek Palshikar represented the VIDC.