Nagpur is facing an unprecedented water crisis due to lack of rains in catchment areas of Totladoh and Nawegaon Khairi dams. The water stock in Totladoh is still terribly down. The condition of Nawegaon Khairi dam is no better. If it does not rain in the catchment areas in the coming two months then Nagpur will face an unprecedented water emergency.
Taking this issue on priority, a delegation of Vidarbha Taxpayers Association (VTA) led by its president J. P. Sharma met Guardian Minister for Nagpur Chandrashekhar Bawankule, held a discussion and also submitted a memorandum.
JP. Sharma said, in such acute rains, we believe that water crises will start since winter onward and summer’s situation would be just unimaginable. In 1981, Nagpur’s population was just around 13 lakhs, now after 30 years we are double and surely next double will most likely by 2040. If we do not plan now then water crises are sure to worsen in a few years.
Tejinder Singh Renu – secretary of VTA suggested that we have Gosikhurd dam, which is just 60 km from the city having enough water. Therefore, the state government should immediately initiate action plan to supply water from Gosikhurd to Nagpur. For this, a pumping station needs to be constructed at Gosikhurd and a pipeline laid appropriately. State government should immediately sanction funds for the same. The work should be entrusted to Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikiran or likewise.
VTA suggested that Government should also submit an application in Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) for reserving water for the city. As many Gunthewari layouts, Narsala and Hudkeshwar areas will be supplied water through the pipeline by NMC, the water need of the city will increase. Hence it is vital to develop a second source as the population of the city is going to increase in the coming years and we can’t depend on a single source of water.
Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said we now do not require this extra water pipeline from Ghosikhurd as State Government has planned to sanctioned Rs. 3000 crore whereby Kanhan’s flooded water will be pumped to Todladoh. And he said in three floods in Kanhan River entire Todladoh will be filled to its capacity and this will take care of 100 years of water requirements of Nagpur City.
VTA, however, believes this solution is with subject to the condition that Kanhan River should have flood; hence it’s recommended to have an alternate line from Ghosikhurd to Nagpur. Other VTA members in the delegation were Hemant Trivedi and Amarjeet Singh Chawla – Joint Secretaries.
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