Desilting and dredging of irrigation projects still a loud thinking in Telangana
The proposed exercise is yet to take off, even in projects like Kaddem, Mid Maniar and Lower Manair, where the government had planned to implement it on a pilot basis
Hyderabad: Despite the grand plans made by the state government for over a year for desilting the major irrigation projects where sedimentation had consumed nearly 25 percent to 30 percent of their storage capacity, the issue remained largely unaddressed. Much of this has remained just loud thinking.
The proposed exercise is yet to take off, even in projects like Kaddem, Mid Maniar and Lower Manair, where the government had planned to implement it on a pilot basis.
Recognizing the urgent need to restore storage capacities, the State government has decided to take up the desilting of the Kaddem Project as a pilot initiative. The desilting exercise is expected to enhance water storage capacity, improve water quality, and ensure sustainable water resource management.
One of the key aspects of the initiative is the revenue generation model based on the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting held on August 9, 2024. The model aims to optimize the financial benefits from sediment management activities.
But no immediate results can be expected as desilting of irrigation projects is indeed a complex and lengthy process. It involves several steps, including planning, resource allocation, machinery deployment, and careful execution to ensure that the silt is effectively removed without causing damage to the infrastructure.
The survey of irrigation channels, reservoirs, and other water bodies to determine the amount of silt to be removed is yet to be completed covering all the major projects in the State.
The state has 159 projects with a gross storage capacity of 929 TMC. The survey of sedimentation was completed in 14 of the projects with a capacity of 220 TMC. The government is yet to come out with a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the programme.
Desilting operations can take several months to a few years, and in some cases, decades to fully restore the capacity of the irrigation system, according to officials. This is the case with the projects where desilting was taken up in Gujarat and some other states.
The state is also looking at minimizing its expenditure on the desilting project by involving the Centre as well.
Under the – Repair, Renovation, and Restoration (RRR) Scheme, the central government provides technical and financial assistance to states for the desilting and restoration of water bodies.
Uttar Pradesh received funds from the Centre for restoration of the irrigation potential in a few projects. In the absence of central support, it would be an uphill task for the state to implement the scheme.
The state is aiming at diverse approaches, studying desilting work in progress in projects across India. Each project is tailored to the specific needs and conditions of the region. State has to opt for its own approach that suits to its conditions.
