Bhuj: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will on May 22 inaugurate a Narmada water pumping station in Vagad belt of Kutch district near Bhachau town.

Kutch Branch canal

Rs 1472 core Kutch branch canal is located at 385.81 km distance from Narmada main canal.Kutch branch canal passes through 84 km in Banaskantha and Patan districts and crosses 10 km area in little Rann of Kutch to enter into Kutch district via 94 km chain canal.

Waterfalls and power generation

Waterfalls have been set up at three places in Kutch canal in order to maintain the level of water. Waterfall at Indrarva in Bhabhar taluka of Banaskantha district is 11.25 meter tall while another one at Kilana village in Santalpur taluka of Patan district is 8.45 meter tall. One more at Madhutra in Santalpur taluka is 8.82 meter tall.

6.5 mw power is going to be generated through small hydro power project at these three waterfalls, for which micro hydroelectric power project’s tenders are issued.

Pumping stations

Three pumping stations have been set up in Kutch district at Manjuvada and Nani Hamirpur in Rapar taluka and Lodheshwar in Bhachau taluka.

Network of canals and benefits

Three sub branch canals are linked to Kutch branch canal. Gagodara sub branch canal is 58 km long, Vandhia sub branch canal is 23 km long while Dudhai sub branch canal is 75 km long.

47 villages of Rapar taluka, 33 in Bhachau taluka, 8 in Gandhidham taluka, 24 in Anjar, 34 in Mundra, 30 in Mandvi and 6 villages in Bhuj taluka – total 1,12,778 hectare of land covering 182 villages will get benefit of irrigation water. Farmers who presently are dependent only on monsoon rains will be able to cultivate three crops. According to Vondhda village sarpanch Valabhai Bhagubhai Chhanga, arrival of Narmada water will not only make farmers richer, but also benefit milk producers. In order to ensure Narmada water supply to 1,12,778 hectare land in Kutch, branch canal’s carrying capacity has been increased from 120 cubic meter per second to 220 cubic meter per second.

Narmada water will be supplied to fill number of water bodies which will make ground water level richer.

Some portion of water will also go to industries. This will boost industrial development in this area and therefore new employment opportunities.

All 948 villages and 10 towns of Kutch are going to benefit through Kutch branch canal for their drinking water needs. Maliben Rabari from Karamia village of Bhachau taluka says villagers in this area have cooked ‘laapsi’ sweet to welcome Narmad waters.

In upcoming days, Kutch branch canal links to Gagodara sub branch canal via distributory and other minor and sub minor branches will provide water to 37 villages including Fatehgadh, Sangadh, Ghedi, Deshalpar, Thanpar, Raav, Ravechi, Trambo, Jeshda, Sudhanvandh, Lakdavandh, Vanoi, Suvai and Adesar.

According to local MLA Rameshbhai Maheshwari, the people of Vagad belt in Kutch district were eagerly waiting for Narmada water. There’s joyous atmosphere here ahead of inauguration of Lodheshwar pumping station by Prime Minister Shri Modi.

DeshGujarat