Minister Vikhe Patil calls for comprehensive policy for desilting of dams in Maharashtra
Minister Vikhe Patil calls for comprehensive policy for desilting of dams in Maharashtra
Mumbai, Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil has pitched for a comprehensive dam desilting policy by conducting a comparative study of similar action plans of other states and Maharashtra’s existing policy, his office has said.
According to a release by the minister’s office, Vikhe Patil chaired a meeting on Wednesday to review the current status of desilting operations across the state and the related technology for separating sand and soil.
Vikhe Patil emphasised that Maharashtra’s existing silt removal policy should be updated by incorporating elements from similar documents of other states after an in-depth analysis.
He has instructed officials to submit a report concerning the dam desilting policy within a week, the release said.
Maharashtra currently has nearly 150 major reservoirs, which serve key purposes like flood control, irrigation, drinking water and electricity generation.
Former bureaucrat Praveen Pardeshi, who is the chief economic advisor to the chief minister and the CEO of ‘Mitra’ , and top department officials attended the meeting.
The release said the state has selected six dam projects on a pilot basis for silt removal – Ujani in Solapur district, Girna in Nashik, Gosikhurd in Bhandara, Jayakwadi in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Mula in Ahilyanagar, and Hatnur in Jalgaon.
Based on the experience gained from these projects, similar efforts will be implemented across other dams in the state, the release said, citing the discussion.
The minister said that the geographical conditions vary at each site and should be studied accordingly. Focus should be given not only on silt but also on the sand present in these dams, he said.
The respective development corporations must execute the desilting operations. Before floating tenders, a thorough survey must be conducted to determine the quantity of sand and silt, said Vikhe Patil.
Competitive bidding should be followed, ensuring that all legal, environmental, and statutory requirements are fulfilled at the corporation level, Vikhe Patil told officials.
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