Irrigation minister gives nod to dam construction in Prayagraj

The dam, according to officials, will provide relief to residents of the Baghada area, who are among the most affected during times of flood in the district.

Irrigation and water resource minister of Uttar Pradesh, Swatantra Dev Singh, gave his nod for the construction of a 1.7-km-long dam from Baghada to Salori in Prayagraj on Sunday. In a meeting with department officials at Circuit House, the minister asked the chief engineer of the irrigation department to prepare a proposal for the construction of the dam.

Minister Swatantra Dev Singh at a programme in Prayagaraj. (ANIL MAURYA/HT PHOTO)

The dam, according to officials, will provide relief to residents of the Baghada area, who are among the most affected during times of flood in the district. The minister said that the state government has released a budget of ₹700 crores for the construction of dams in several districts.

During the meeting, Singh also asked concerned officials to complete the work of cleaning silt from canals ahead of the sowing of rabi crops. He added, “Officials should ensure that drains are full of water so farmers do not face problems in irrigating their fields. All the old culverts in the district should be reconstructed. Also, officials should carry out regular inspections of all constructions in the district to ensure quality.”

Along with officials of the irrigation department, several legislators -- including MLA Harshvardhan Vajpai, Karchhana MLA Piyush Ranjan, MLA Phulpur Praveen Patel, Phaphamau MLA Guru Prasad Maurya -- were present at the meeting.