Bhopal:Saturday, January 17, 2009 : The NVDA engineers would proceed on a study tour to irrigation projects running successfully in Maharashtra and Aundhra Pradesh. A team of engineers will visit lift irrigation projects in these states and would identify technical and operational aspects which are key factors for the success of the projects.
Vice Chairman Narmada Valley Development authority Pradeep Bhargava informed that lift irrigation projects has been a challenge due to its specific design and operational system. Looking to this it has been decided that precautions right form design to the distribution network will be taken care of.
It may be mentioned here that a major lift irrigation project is likely to ground in current year, with the potential of 35 thousand hectare irrigation. The lift irrigation which is named as punasa lift irrigation would consume 5.2 M.W. of power to lift 130 million cubic meter (MCM) of water from Indira Sagar reservoir. Pradeep Bhargava while reviewing the preparations of punasa lift project asked engineers to discuss the design of the project with leading technical consultants and incorporate suggestions that can make cost and performance effective design. He also directed to get approved the design from Indian Institute of science Banglore. Bhargava said that engineers should focus their observations on how the system of water distribution is carried out and at what level farmers are participating in running the projects in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradhes state. He also pointed out to deal with the problem of silting in lift irrigation projects and asked to install latest equipments like silt ejectors. Member engineering V.K. Bhatiya, Chief engineer E&M B.S.S Parihar and engineers associated with lift irrigation projects were present in the discussion. The proposed punasa lift irrigation project in Khandwa distt. Will be first of its kind lift irrigation project in the state creating maximum command of 35 thousand hectare. An amount of Rupees 418.50 crore is estimated to be spent over the construction of punasa lift.