Work starts for Country’s first river-lake link project
Bhopal. For the first time in the country, a river-lake link project is being implemented in Tikamgarh district. Work Harpura irrigation and river-lake link project has been started under Bundelkhand package. Besides creating additional irrigation potential for 1980 hectare, the project will also give a new lease of life to 1000-year-old Chandel era lakes.
Bhopal. Tikamgarh district of Bundelkhand region is situated between Dhasan and Jamni rivers. Irrigation is mostly undertaken here through historical Chandel-era water bodies. Due to scanty rainfall during the last about 25 years, water is filled upto 20 to 50 percent level in these lakes. This has been causing adverse effect on the agricultural and economic condition of the area.
With this in view, the State Government proposed the first river-lake link project of the country. Under the scheme, rain water will be contained in rivers and lakes will be filled up with this water, which will be provided to farmers for irrigation. In year 2010, Survey and Research Division, Tikamgarh had chalked out a Rs. 41 crore 33 lakh action plan for branching out a canal from Harpura weir on Jamni River, to fill up lakes, use 22.90 MCM water and irrigate 1980 hectare additional irrigation area.
Harpura weir construction site is situated at village Harpura in the interior of Tikamgarh-Lalitpur Road via Mahroni. Administrative sanction of Rs. 41 crore 43 lakh was accorded to the project in August 2011. After completion of survey, the work of acquisition of land for the project is in progress. These works include proposed construction of 44.28 kilometer long main canal and 13 kilometer long branch canal for filling up lakes besides digging 100 wells on either side of the main canal.
The water bodies to be filled up under the project include two lakes each at village Hanuman Sagar, Jagat Nagar and Poorvi Gaur as well as lakes at villages Dargai Kalan, Rargai Khurd, Mohangarh, Archra and Vrishbhanpura. Due to availability of water in Jamni River throughout the year, water will remain available upto the brims in these lakes.
