New Delhi, 22 March, 2012

Pre-Feasibility Report of Gujarat government’s intra-state river link proposal to connect Damanganga-Sabarmati-Chorwad rivers is targeted to complete in year 2012-13. The minister of state in the ministry of Water resources and Minority affairs Shri Vincent H Pala said in a reply in Rajya Sabha.

The minister said that the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has received 36 proposals of intra-state links from 7 States viz. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Out of these, Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs) of 20 intra-state links have been completed by NWDA.

Of them Gujarat has submitted one proposal of connecting Damanganga-Sabarmati-Chorwad, whose Pre-Feasibility report will be completed in this year only as per the target. Targets are being fixed in consultations with concerned states. After PFR there will be a Feasibility Report followed by Detailed Project Report which ultimately would create a ground of starting of the project.

The minister said that five Peninsular links namely (i) Ken – Betwa, (ii) Parbati – Kalisindh – Chambal, (iii) Damanganga – Pinjal, (iv) Par – Tapi – Narmada & (v) Godavari (Polavaram) – Krishna (Vijayawada) have been identified as priority links for taking up their Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). DPR of one priority link namely Ken-Betwa has been completed and was communicated to the party states.

The status of Par Tapi Narmada Link project

Peninsular links namely Damanganga – Pinjal and Par – Tapi – Narmada have been identified as priority links for taking up their Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). Once DPRs are completed, party states will be communicated and modifications of the proposals and final Detailed Project Report preparation will be taken up by NWDA thenafter in light of observations of the concerned states.

The Proposal: NWDA has completed the feasibility study of the link canal project. This link proposes to transfer surpluses available between Par and Tapi to water deficit areas in north Gujarat. It will transfer 1,350 Mcum of water through a canal of length 401 km. by gravity. The total enroute irrigation benefits envisaged are 1.63 lakh hectares in Gujarat by utilizing 460 Mcum and 190 Mcum for meeting the transmission losses. In addition to this, about 700 Mcum will also be provided to Saurashtra and Kutch areas of Gujarat. Besides this, there is also a provision for generation of about 32.5 MW of power.

Engineering Aspect: The link project consists of 7 proposed reservoirs viz. Jheri, Mohankavchali & Paikhed on Par River, Chasmandva on Auranga River, Chikkar & Dabdar on Ambica River and Kelwan on Purna river and a 401 km long link canal connecting these reservoirs. Powerhouses are proposed at the foot of the dams at Jheri, Paikhed, Chasmandva and Chikkar. The total length of the link canal is sub-divided into two reaches viz. Par-Tapi (211 km including 5.5 km. tunnel and 33.3 Km. Feeder length), and Tapi – Narmada (190.1 km). The link from Par to Tapi starts with a tunnel connecting Mohankavchali reservoir to Paikhed weir. The open channel link starts from Paikhed weir and drops into Ukai reservoir. The Tapi-Narmada portion of the link starts from Ukai reservoir crosses Narmada River and terminates at the Miyagam branch canal of Narmada main canal.

Environmental Issue: The seven proposed reservoirs in this link would submerge an area of 7,559 ha of which 3,572 ha is forestland. Apart from this, 14,832 people and 9,029 livestock would be affected by the submergence. Provisions have been made to resettle the affected persons by providing them with attractive packages. Provision has also been made for compensatory afforestation. (A map of this project)