Lifeline of Marathwada Jayakwadi dam completes 50 yrs of commissioning

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Jayakwadi major irrigation project from Paithan in Chhatrapati Sambhajingar district has been celebrating 50 years of its commissioning. Hailed as the lifeline of Marathwada, the dam was commissioned at the hands of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on Feb 24, 1976.Coinciding with the golden jubilee of the dam, experts have underscored the need for automated canal systems and advanced, solar-powered, and IoT-enabled technologies for canal irrigation management.Jaisingh Hire, former assistant superintendent engineer with Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation (GMIDC) said the automation of canal systems would avoid water theft and curb transition losses of water."Different gate systems of the dam need to be replaced with advanced systems to ensure effective irrigation management. The existing systems are 50 years old and need to be replaced for effective distribution of water," he said.Water rights activist Abhijeet Dhanorkar said the lining work of the Paithan left bank canal (PLBC) needs to be undertaken on a priority basis."With support from the gov, authorities have undertaken the lining work of the Paithan right bank sanal (PRBC). Such lining work is important to overcome leakages in the distribution path of water released from the dam towards the tail end such as Parbhani," he said.The 208 km-long PLBC, has a gross command area of over 2 lakh hectares, spread in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, and Parbhani districts of Marathwada. The 132 km-long PRBC has a gross command area of over 59,900 hectares from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Beed districts. The dam has designed storage capacity of nearly 103 TMC which includes a live storage capacity of approximately 77 TMC, official data showed. A senior GMIDC official said Jayakwadi dam and its distribution network has been undergoing upgradation under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP II) to enhance its safety and operational efficiency. "Automation of canal systems andadvanced systems for irrigation management are also on cards and necessary funding will be sought for such ambitious transformation," he said.Water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil could not be reached for his comments.Jayakwadi dam has beenin the news for the upcoming floating solar project. The project has evoked sharp reactions from conservationists over fears of irrevocable damage to the bird sanctuary housed in Nathsagar, the reservoir of the dam.