Governor Ramesh Bais on Thursday gave in-principle approval for the ambitious Wainganga-Nalganga River Linking Irrigation Project that has the potential to turn around fortunes of backward Vidarbha Region. The Governor, on Thursday, gave his assent to the project after it was cleared by State Water Planning Committee headed by Chief Minister towards the end of June. The Rs 80,000 crore project involves lifting surplus water from Wainganga river and transferring it to western Vidarbha region that is parched and lacks irrigation round the year.

 

The project involves full utilisation of 1,772 mm3 water share of Maharashtra in Godavari River basin. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis pursued the project and fast-tracked it through multiple processes. He called on the Governor on Thursday and apprised him about the finer details of the project and requested his nod, said his tweet, post securing approval for the mega project. Fadnavis in his post further stated that the MahaYuti Government, under Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde, are firmly committed towards welfare of farmers in the State. The significance of the project is that post completion, it will bring about 3.72 lakh hectare land under irrigation.

 

The other benefit accruing is in form of indirect irrigation that would be double, said Dr Pravin Mahajan, water expert and one of the proponent of the Wainganga-Nalganga river linkage project. He said, in the project, 31 storage tanks and elevation of eight tanks has been envisioned. As to the procedure ahead, now, the file of the project goes to Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWWRA) and after its nod, back to Water Resources Department, Mantralay, for administrative approval which is a key part. Dr Mahajan said, the process should take another month or so, but since monsoon session of Maharashtra State legislature is in its last leg, the budgetary allocation for the project might not be possible at this stage. However, post administrative approval, the tender process for final survey could begin to detail the places where lakes are to be created and also the alignment of canal and other finer details. For survey there would be no shortage of funds as Rs 1,230 crore are already earmarked with WRD in the budget, he stated further. The main stay of the project is 426.42 km canal of which would include seven tunnels of 13.83 km and it would pass through 15 tehsils in six districts.

 

The benefits would also accrue to towns as drinking water share is also allocated and also for industry in these districts. After the final location survey the DPR would need nod from Central Water Regulatory Authority and post that the project would need NoC from Forest and Environment Department and also from Tribal Affairs. As per current estimate the project would require 10 years to complete and if it is done then well and good but if the deadline gets extended the cost could move past Rs 2.5 lakh crore, said Dr Mahajan. He demanded that State Government should announce the project on July 14 coinciding with birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Shankarrao Chavan who is credited with ending water shortage in Marathwada area.