Gandhinagar, Nov 3 (IANS) The Gujarat government has granted in-principle approval for a Rs 581-crore fish scale weir dam on the Banas river near Mahadeviya village in Deesa taluka of Banaskantha district, a project expected to improve groundwater recharge and benefit 100 villages across Deesa and Kankrej talukas.
The proposed dam will be 500 metres wide and feature seven stepped levels designed to store excess water flowing through the river.
The reservoir created upstream will extend around 2.72 km, while a 4,795-metre-long embankment will be constructed along the northern bank.
According to the state government, the stored water will help replenish groundwater in the region, which has considerable potential for groundwater recharge.
The project will benefit 70 villages in Deesa taluka and 30 villages in Kankrej taluka.
Initially, the state government had considered constructing check dams at different locations along this stretch of the river.
However, given the considerable width of the Banas riverbed, it subsequently decided to opt for a fish scale stepped weir to facilitate water storage.
The project is being planned in collaboration with IIT Roorkee, which has experience in dam construction.
The water stored through the proposed structure will include releases from the Dantiwada and Sipu dams.
The construction is targeted for completion by 2029.
The state government has assigned the work of preparing the project’s final design, following which construction will proceed.
Tourism development in the surrounding area is also planned as part of the second phase of the project.
Various initiatives will be taken up to develop the area as a local tourism destination after the dam-related work.
The project is part of the state’s water management initiatives under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
The state government expects the proposed structure to help utilise excess water in the Banas river more effectively while strengthening groundwater resources in the drought-prone parts of Banaskantha district.
–IANS
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