Nearly 2,000 small dams unused as state sits on repair funds: RTI

Times of India: Mumbai: Friday, 20 November 2015.

In a response to a Right to Information (RTI) query by activist Anil Galgali, the rural development and water conservation department revealed that almost 1,735 small dams in Beed, Jalna and Aurangabad districts are "unutilized".

A request to release Rs 171 crore for repairs and maintenance was not fulfilled and the funds were demanded to expand irrigation for up to 17,453 hectares, the RTI reply mentioned. The matter is pending since February 2014 and despite facing a back-to-back drought, the state government has not done much. Galgali said the government should urgently sanction funds for Marathwada. "If urgent attention is given to the mini-irrigation (water conservation) projects instead of the pet Jal Yukt Shivar scheme of the state government the results would be faster and it will save huge revenue for the government and also increase the irrigation potential," added Galgali.

He said delay in taking decision of releasing funds, not carrying out repairs of the small dams has reduced irrigation potential and almost 745 farmers have lost their lives in Marathwada alone due to lack of water and irrigation, added Galgali.

Government officials said that 70% Marathwada farmland registered a failed kharif crop this year. While the region receives 780 mm of rain on average, the rainfall has been just a third of the normal average this year.

Currently, the 1,735 small dams situated in Beed, Jalna and Aurangabad have an irrigation potential of 25,128 hectares. If these dams under the mini-irrigation (water conservation) project were repaired, then it would increase the irrigation potential by 17,543 hectares taking it to 42,671 hectares. Beed district has 575 mini-irrigation (water conservation) schemes in need of urgent repairs and maintenance. If the overhaul is undertaken and completed, then it will increase the potential by 4,119 hectares.