Gujarat: VMC begins deepening work of Ajwa and Pratappura reservoirs
The dredging and deepening of Ajwa and Pratappura reservoirs will ensure an increase in the storage capacity and allow the VMC to prevent excess rainwater from flowing at high speed into the Vishwamitri river
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The project of deepening Ajwa and Pratappura would be completed within 100 days and is being undertaken by 11 companies as part of their CSR activities (Archives)As part of the flood mitigation plan for the upcoming monsoon, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) commenced the dredging and deepening of the Ajwa and Pratappura reservoirs to increase the carrying capacity of the water bodies to aid the bigger Vishwamitri river Rejuvenation project and increase its carrying capacity.
The dredging and deepening of Ajwa and Pratappura reservoirs will ensure an increase in the storage capacity and allow the VMC to prevent excess rainwater from flowing at high speed into the Vishwamitri river, which causes floods in Vadodara. The work was inaugurated by Mayor Pinky Soni, Deputy Mayor Chirag Barot, Standing Committee chairman Dr Sheetal Mistry and VMC Commissioner Dilip Rana.
Mistry said, “At Ajwa, we are deepening a total of 10 lakh square meter area up to about 1.5-2 meters to increase the capacity by 2 Million Cubic Meter (MCM). In Pratappura, we are deepening an area of 3 lakh square meter with an increase in capacity of 1.5 MCM… We are also laying down a new channel to divert the water from Drakshi and Kharwa village to a newly dredged pond of 100 hectares, which will prevent the pressure from building on the Pratappura reservoir during heavy rain.”
Mistry added that the project of deepening Ajwa and Pratappura would be completed within 100 days and is being undertaken by 11 companies as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
“We have received permission from the state government to allow the companies to dispose of the earth from deepening without royalty,” said the Standing Committee chairman . “If the same work is carried out under the Sujalam Sufalam Yojana, it would cost the VMC about Rs 30 crore and Rs 50 crore by way of individual tender… The deepening of these two reservoirs also eventually means more storage of drinking water for Vadodara city,” the chairman said.
On Tuesday, environmental activists, signing themselves as ‘Concerned Citizens of Vadodara’, dashed a letter to the authorities, reminding them that the Vishwamitri project must be implemented in accordance with the May 25, 2021 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as well as the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
The letter states, “The action plan is to address the issues relating to demarcation, protection of flood plain zone and maintaining minimum environment flow. The other consequential and incidental issues like sewage treatment, management of waste, preventing encroachment, etc. are also covered by the action plan. Demarcation of the entire flood plain zone of the river needs to be undertaken. Further, steps are required for plantation and maintaining the integrity of the river in totality… steps for removal of unauthorised structures, demarcation and protection of flood plain zone and other action points as per the river restoration plan.”
Mistry said, “We have taken all precautions… We are not doing any concrete work and we are taking care of the ecosystem. We are not planning to shift the crocodiles… We will use plantation for afforestation in the upstream. The 13 active STPs have improved the water quality and untreated water will be reduced further as more STPs are created…”
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