BHUBANESWAR: The state government has approved Rs 60 crore for a new scheme to construct check dams-cum-weirs on bridges and culverts built over various rivers to store adequate water during monsoon.
The works and rural development departments will build around 100 such check dams-cum-weirs across the state primarily on small bridges resting on raft foundations.
"Odisha mainly depends on the monsoon for various activities like irrigation, drinking water, aquaculture and groundwater recharge. Without the facility for storage in reservoirs, a huge volume of water from the rivers flows into the Bay of Bengal. These structures will help to store water for use during the non-monsoon period," said a senior government official, confirming approval for the scheme.
Stating that most of the rivers in the state are seasonal except a few perennial ones, the official said the lack of adequate storage resulted in serious scarcity of water for drinking and agricultural activities during summer.
"The aim of the scheme is to store adequate quantity of water during monsoon inside the streams and upstream of rivers for various purposes. Storage will also help to recharge groundwater which would help in increasing green cover and cultivation of rabi crops," said the official, adding that it's a low-cost scheme with high impact.
While provision for the scheme has already been made in the recent supplementary budget for 2021-22, the works and rural development departments have been asked to prepare the guidelines for its implementation.
Both the departments have been asked to submit the proposed location and drawing of check dams-cum-weirs to the water resources department for more technical consultation.
