The Udupi City Municipal Council has floated two tenders to remove silt from the Swarna behind the Baje dam. Drinking water in Udupi city is supplied from the Baje dam at Baje village, about 18 km from here.
Both the tenders are short-term ones. The estimated cost of removing silt from Baje dam to Manai Bridge is ₹ 2.9 crore.
The work from Manai Bridge to Shiroor Mutt, where the second dam across the Swarna is located at Shiroor village, about 22 km from here, is estimated at ₹ 2.34 crore.
Removing silt from the Baje dam was last taken up about eight years ago. The work has became essential as the city is faced with severe water shortage this summer. The city has been divided into six zones and drinking water from the Swarna is at present being supplied once in six days to each one of these zones in turns.
The work to remove silt is expected to start in about a week-and-a-half. The contractors are expected to complete both silt removal and dredging work simultaneously within six months.
“The silt removal work has to be taken up immediately before the monsoon starts. It would help improve the storage capacity of the reservoir and also help in recharging groundwater,” G. Santosh Kumar, Project Director, Urban Development Cell, told The Hindu.
There are some large holes in the riverbed of the Swarna. Hence, the dredging work is being taken. The silt removal and dredging work is expected to increase the water storage capacity of the reservoir substantially.
“Removing silt will help the reservoir hold water needed for about 45 additional days. This would be of great help during summer. Silt removal will be taken up from the Baje dam to seven kilometres behind it (the dam),” he said.
This is expected to help meet the water needs of Udupi city till the month of June, when the monsoon arrives. The silt removed from the riverbed will be dumped at a stockyard.
“A minimum of five acres of land is needed for a stockyard where the silt removed from the river can be dumped. The contractor will have to identify such land for dumping the silt,” Mr. Kumar said.