Govt, VMC to explore flood mitigation options

Vadodara: With officials of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) saying that it is not feasible to divert water from Ajwa reservoir into Narmada branch canal, the state govt and Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) will now have to look for alternatives. The diversion of water from Ajwa was among the two possibilities discussed soon after the recent floods in the city.
Govt spokesperson and state health minister Rishikesh Patel had mentioned after the Aug floods that diverting water from Ajwa or Vishwamitri was a solution to the floods in the city.The state govt has also promised a fund of Rs 1,200 crore for work on the Vishwamitri river.
A committee headed by former adviser to the chief minister, B N Navlawala, has been formed to study the floods in the city and suggest remedies. The SSNNL has communicated to this committee that diverting water into Narmada canal is not feasible.
Departments involved in the process have so far studied the entire course of the river from Pratappura and Ajwa reservoirs to Pingalwada, where the Vishwamitri meets the Dhadhar. They have also sought data on floods and extreme rain events that have occurred in the city so far.
Officials have held a series of meetings, but a plan for flood mitigation is yet to be finalised. With the possibility of diverting Ajwa water into Narmada canal ruled out, other plans may have to be examined. Earlier, a resident of the city had suggested the possibility of diverting Vishwamitri water into the Mini river.
Municipal commissioner Dilip Kumar Rana said on Friday that officials from different agencies and departments had visited the city this week. He said that no plan was finalised yet.
A senior functionary of VMC said that diversion water from the river, even if decided, will take time. He said that the process of land acquisition to build the infrastructure will have to be conducted. He pointed out that most of the work will be in the purview of the state govt.