In a step in the direction of tackling the drought in backward Vidarbha, Marathwada and components of North Maharashtra area, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has introduced again two formidable river-linking initiatives–Nalganga Wainganga and Nar- Par-Girna on his desk. Additionally again on the agenda is Marathwada water grid mission.
All these initiatives which had been conceptualised in his first tenure as CM in 2014 has remained on paper for previous 10 years. With absolute mandate to Mahayuti in 2024 Meeting elections, Fadnavis has renewed his pledge to take water grid and two river linking initiatives to its logical finish.
Extremely positioned sources in Water Sources Ministry mentioned, “Among the many listing of initiatives chalked out to make Maharashtra drought-free, Nalganga-Wainganga and Nar-Par-Girna and Marathwada Water Grid have taken the best precedence. And all set to be fast-tracked.”
Final week, Fadnavis throughout an occasion in Mumbai mentioned, “The water grid and river linking initiatives will go a good distance in the direction of drought mitigation and likewise put an finish to inter-region disputes over water-sharing. In that sense, Nalganga-Wainganga and Nar-Par-Girna river linking initiatives won’t solely assist farmers entry to water and enhanced irrigated land for agriculture actions but additionally tackle long-pending social discord between Marathwada and North Maharashtra arising as a result of water disaster inside areas in Maharashtra.”
The recurring drought within the state has led the state to replicate on a number of initiatives, each quick and long-term. In 2014, Fadnavis had launched Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan, shortlisting 25,000 villages in Marathwada area which had been among the many worst hit by drought. It was believed via water conservation schemes that these villages wouldn’t solely override the disaster however regularly develop into water self-reliant. Nonetheless, these schemes required sustained upkeep and monitoring to perform the targets.
In 2019, Maha Vikas Aghadi led by CM Uddhav Thackeray had discontinued Jalyukta Shivar. With Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti authorities again in energy in 2022-24, Jalyukta Shivar was revived. Fadnavis has indicated that Jalyukta Shivar with additional modifications will probably be undertaken throughout his regime 2024-2029. The scheme, which elicited public help initially in 2014-2019, led to infrastructure associated to water buildings arising in massive numbers. Based on authorities knowledge, “The Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan first part coated 22,593 villages with 6.32 lakh works.”
It led to 27 TMC water storage and helped irrigation in 39 lakh hectares. But, it additionally invited CAG strictures in 2022 for some discrepancies as a result of substandard works in just a few initiatives. The CAG report based mostly on surveys in 120 villages pointed to alleged lack of transparency and monitoring in schemes resulting in shoddy work.
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Together with ongoing water conservation schemes, state authorities believes the water linking initiatives had been the best way ahead to long-term options on water disaster. Principally, it entails diverting surplus water from one river basin to drought-prone area utilizing superior know-how. The state authorities has given in-principle nod for the 2 river linking schemes Nalganga-Wainganga and Nar-Par-Girna. These schemes, as soon as accomplished, guarantees to sort out drought points in Marathwada and Vidarbha areas.
Whereas all eight districts in Marathwada area are drought-prone, Vidarbha faces frequent drought state of affairs in 5 or of 11 districts in western Vidarbha.
Below the Marathwada water grid mission, eleven main dams within the area can be interconnected via pipelines to create a community.
The water from surplus dams can be pumped to these reeling underneath shortage in decrease reservoirs. It indents to cowl 12,000 villages throughout 79 talukas and 79 cities throughout Marathwada. With Rs 40,000 crore expenditure, water grid is a extremely formidable mission which is able to interconnect Jayakwadi dam (Aurangabad), Yeldhari (Parbhani), Siddheshwar (Hingoli), Majalgsom and Manjara (Beed), Decrease Terna, and Sine Kolegaon (Osmanabad) and Dhanegaom (Latur).
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The Nar-Par-Girna river linking initiatives entails 10.64 TMC surplus water switch to drought-prone components of Nashik and Jalgaon districts. The mission, estimated at Rs 7,015 crore, will irrigate 53,626 hectares in Nashik, 38,304 hectares in Jalgaon and three,830 hectares Aurangabad.
Whereas Rs 87,000 crore Wainganga-Nalganga river linking mission would guarantee lifting of water from Gosikhurd dam on river Wainganga in Bhandara district and channelling it to Nalganga in Buldhana district via 427-km lengthy community via canals, left irrigation and pipelines.
