Six river basins in Maharashtra ready to be interlinked: Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. (File Photo)

CHIEF MINISTER Devendra Fadnavis on Friday formally approved the interlinking the state’s five major river basins under the Integrated State Water Plan project. With this, Maharashtra is set to become the first state to execute such a project, which would facilitate water transfer and equitable distribution.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Maharashtra Water Council Meeting in Mumbai.

The state has six major river basins — Godavari, Tapi, Krishna, Narmada, Mahanadi and western flowing rivers. In 2017, the government had decided to bring Godavari river basin under the project. Bringing the five other river basins under the scheme, Fadnavis on Friday directed the water resources department to complete all processes and start implementing the project before July 15.

“Maharashtra is the first state in country to have in place an integrated water plan. It is a historic decision. It was a mammoth exercise as it relates to the integration of the all major six river basins flowing across the state. The exercise entails micro planning. It could be considered as a big step towards boosting irrigation and sustainable agriculture,” Fadnavis said.

The Konkan region, which always has rivers overflowing because of heavy of rain, was also discussed. “Water management of overflowing rivers in Konkan rivers should be reworked through innovate models… At least, 50 TMC of water should be saved to resolve problems of drinking water. In the absence of planning, the excess water flows into the Arabian Sea,” the CM said.

Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan said the plan will help in proper planning and management of water from each river basin. “In the absence of a plan, there was neither proper direction nor management. As a result, we have a series of dams with no water. We have plenty of water in the river basins but no structures to tap the supply.”

Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority data shows that of the total 225 lakh hectares of cultivable land in the state, 40 per cent fall under severely drought-prone areas.