As much as 90 per cent of the civil works of Kochi barrage on Kanhan river have been completed and plans are afoot to build water storage in the reservoir in June 2024, said Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister, in the State Legislative Council on Monday. Fadnavis was replying to an unstarred question raised by MLCs Shashikant Shinde, Vikram Kale, Amol Mitkari, and Satish Chavan. The MLCs alleged that though the project work was nearly complete, there was delay in building water storage in the project that had potential to be a boon in mitigating water scarcity in Nagpur city. They also sought to know if the State Government had initiated any enquiry into the matter of delay in building storage in the reservoir. In reply, Fadnavis stated that 90 per cent of the civil works of the Kochi barrage project on Kanhan river in Saoner tehsil of Nagpur district were completed. The work of erecting the gates is in progress, and is expected to be completed till October 2023. The rehabilitation of three villages has been proposed. These villages are Kochi, Dhalgaon Khairy, and Raywadi (Juni). The works of providing civic amenities at Kochi Bawangaon relocation site have been completed and the rehabilitation-related works are in progress. The rehabilitation-related works of Raywadi (Juni) are in the final stages, and work was in progress regarding rehabilitation of Dhalgaon Khairy.

 

Due to expenditure in excess of second revised administrative approval to the project, there are limitations on expenditure for remaining construction works, said Fadnavis. “The procedure of second revised administrative approval is in progress at the field level. Once the proposal for revised administrative approval gets nod, the remaining works will be done. The plans are afoot to build water storage in Kochi reservoir in June 2024,” he added. For the project, an allocation of Rs 50 crore has been made in 2023-24, Fadnavis stated in reply to another unstarred question. Kochi barrage project is important for Nagpur city. It required 51 hectares of forest land, of which 38.97 hectares was categorised as ‘Zudpi Jungle’ and 12.03 hectares was protected forest. In 2014, a proposal for final approval was been submitted to the Central Government in this regard. After various issues involved were addressed subsequently, the work on the project began. Once the Kochi barrage project is completed, it will help in addressing water woes of Nagpur city. At present, much of Nagpur’s water supply depends on Pench irrigation project.

 

Replying to another question by Chandrashekhar Bawankule, MLC, Fadnavis stated that the work on bridge at Lohari Sawanga distributary under Kar river project in Nagpur district was completed. A special proposal has been prepared for repairs of canal system on Jam river project. Proposal for second revised administrative approval has been submitted for completion of canal work on Chikhli project. In case of Thadipaoni lift irrigation project, however, it is not possible to submit proposal for administrative approval as it comes under Upper Wardha project’s watershed and there was no water available for new scheme. The work on Pimpalgaon Wakhaji project has been completed and provision is being made for some works relating to canals. Similarly, provision is being made for repairs of 11 weirs including Bhishnur, Inderwada, Kharbadi, Khairgaon, Tara Utara in Narkhed tehsil, and Bhagimahari KT weir in Saoner tehsil etc. In Narkhed tehsil, under Water Conservation Department,m administrative approval has been granted to total 39 works. Of these, 30 works are in progress and there is stay on nine other works, Fadnavis stated.