Rs 4,664 crore silt removal scheme launched from Yavatmal ’s Moha village

YAVATMAL: The

Minister for Water Conservation

has on Friday launched the State sponsored ‘Galmukta Talao-Galyukta Shivar Yojana’ from

village

Moha of

Yavatmal

district. The Rs. 4664

crore

new scheme was approved by the State Cabinet on Tuesday and the Minister has launched the scheme from Yavatmal today in the presence of the District Guardian Minister Madan Yerawar, District Collector Sachindra Pratap Singh, Deputy Director of Agriculture S.R. Sardar, Agriculture Superintending Officer Dattatraya Gaikwad and SDO Yavatmal Rajendra Deshmukh.

The minister has launched the scheme statewide by lifting the

silt

from the Talao in village Moha.

Later the minister has visited villages Bopapur and Lakhkhind of Darwha tehsil and participated in the silt removal programme there. He has also reviewed the working being carried out under the Jalyukta Shivar. The minister has also visited the villages Hatgaon and Borejai in Yavatmal tehsil where he inspected the works under Jalyukta Shivar.

Later while addressing a press conference at the District Collector’s office, Ram Shinde said that there are 31,459 talao (water tank) across the State and the silt from them would be removed in 3-4 years time. A sum of Rs. 4664 crore is allocated for the scheme aiming to improve the fertility of the farms across the State by covering the layers of fertile silt removed from the talao.

The talao across the State are now filled with silt and hence the water storing capacity of these talao are reduced considerably which is to be increased owing to the removal of the silt. The silt thus removed would be transported to the farms nearby and would be spread there, he added.

The Government has waived the royalty on the silt and the farmers would be provided with JCB and free diesel to excavate the silt from the talo and dams.

The Minister has expressed his deep concern over the delay caused to complete the works under JAL Yukta Shivar and ordered the District Collector to examine the works thoroughly and report to him in 8 days time.

He has cautioned the officers entrusted with Jalyukta Shivar works and if they are found guilty of dereliction of their works, they would be penalized severely.

The works allotted to the forest department were not completed and the entire works are being carried out in a snail’s speed.

He asked the officers to expedite the pending works and they should be completed on or before June 30 at any cost and cautioned them of punishment if the works would not be completed by June 30.

Madan Yerawar, Sachindra Pratap Singh and officers of various departments were prominently present at the press briefing.