Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): The state is witnessing Monsoon this year with heavy rains in many regions but Water Resources Department (WRD) is yet to start the work of desilting of four water bodies which have dams, despite a Cabinet decision to the effect.
The Cabinet took the decision on July 20, 2021 permitting de-silting and excavation of sand from Bansagar in Shahdol, Tawa in Itarsi, Bargi in Jabalpur and Indira Sagar Dam in Khandwa. Desilting is required to increase the water holding capacity of the water bodies.
As per experts, if desilting is not carried from time to time, it reduces water holding capacity of water bodies which ultimately affect drinking water supply and irrigation in the state.
However, engineers of the Water Resources Department are of the opinion that sand excavation (sand mining) is as good as de-siltation of water bodies. Sand excavation which is going on round the clock in rivers and dams in the state, maintains the water holding capacity, they added.
RA Tiwari, senior engineer WRD, said, “Sand mining is carried out round the clock in rivers and dams vicinity, so there is no need of desilting. Sand mining is as good as the desilting process.”
Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) had conducted desilting of Upper Lake from Bhadbhada area in May 2019 deploying two poclain machines, two JCB machines, etc. | FP
In Bhopal there are four dams- Bhadbhada, Kerwand, Kolar Dam and Kaliasot. Bhadbhada and Kaliasot dams are connected to Upper Lake. In absence of proper desilting of Upper Lake, the sluice gates of the two dams were opened in mid July this year.
Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) had conducted desilting of Upper Lake from Bhadbhada area in May 2019 deploying two poclain machines, two JCB machines, etc. However, for the last three years, nothing has been done to maintain the water holding capacity of the lake and sluice gates of the two dams had to be opened following a few spells of heavy rain in the city.
Desilting economically unviable proposition: Experts
Desilting is the removal of fine silt and sediment that has collected in a river in order to restore its natural capacity, without widening or deepening of the river. Desiltation works have the potential to improve the hydraulic performance of a river. The experts, however, are of the opinion that desilting is an economically unviable proposition and in the absence of proper guidelines, it could damage the structure of dams.
Experts have also questioned the transportation of thousands of tonnes of silt to different places as the state government has decided to provide the same to farmers for free. Even farmers have to use the silt in a scientific way to make the land fertile. They may have to bear the extra cost, said the experts.
Desilting will increase the capacity of the dam but excavation of sand may damage the structure of the dam. In recent years, we have seen that unsustainable sand mining damaged the aqueduct, they said. The state government earned more than Rs 500 crore in revenue from the sand mining in 2020.
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