By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: The drought after drought hence hard struggle for livelihood would be the thing of past for the tens of thousand farmers of Narmada Valley because water has started flowing towards their thirsty fields from half a dozen project reservoirs of valley. Creation of 1.85 lakh hectare additional irrigation potential from Narmada valley project and that too 1.34 lakh hectare within last four years indicates that green revolution through irrigation is stepping in the valley.
The top technical Authority in Narmada Valley Development Authority, Member Engineering Virendra Kumar Pareekh said that during year 2006-07 an additional irrigation potential of 67542 hectare was achieved. In the current year an additional 32250 hectare potential had already created up to the month of August this year against the target of 35696 hectare fixed for said period. He informed that efforts are streamlined to increase this potential up to 98410 hectare which is the target for the year.
The Member (Engg.) informed that work on third phase of canal system of Bargi diversion project would be taken up this year which would create 26000 hectare additional potential. Similarly work on second phase of canal construction under Omkareshwar project would also be start in current year. After completion this would add further 24000 hectare additional potential. Two another ambitious projects in the valley namely Punasa lift irrigation and lower GoI project, are going to get environmental clearance from Government of India very soon. As soon as they are cleared the work on these projects would start. The Punasa lift irrigation project would generate 32300 hectare and Lower GoI 13760 hectare irrigation potential. Pareekh said that NVDA has taken up most challenging engineering task of linking Narmada and Kshipra. The Primary perorations for the project is going on . Under the project 3 MAF water would be lifted to 300 meter to take it to Malwa plateau, Pareekh added. ([email protected])