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Journalism of Courage
The Wadhwana lake in Vadodaras Dabhoi taluka has turned into a dry bed with the advent of summer,causing concern to villagers who graze hundreds of livestock on the lakebed during this time of the year. The lake is the second largest in the state which was built by the erstwhile Gaekwad rulers over a century ago. A famous tourist spot,it attracts a variety of migratory birds during winters. There is not a drop of water in the lake which is not something that usually happens, said Arjunbhai Darbar of Simaria village.
The Wadhwana lake is also a source of irrigation for over 6,000 hectares agricultural land in some 30 villages surrounding it. These villages came up over two decades ago after people displaced during the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada were relocated here. The Orsang river is the main source of water for the lake,but water from Narmada dam is drawn during summers to irrigate rabi crops. Villagers said the district irrigation department officials have not drawn water from Narmada canal on time for the last few years which has affected both rabi and summer crops.
Officials at the Vadodara sub-division of the state irrigation department said they had dried the lake in March to strengthen and widen the lake.
For the last one month,we have been carrying out the work to strengthen and widen its periphery,using machines which draw soil from the lakebed. As far as damage in the canal is concerned,a proposal to renovate the command area is under consideration, said JP Patel,deputy executive engineer with Vadodara sub-division of the state irrigation department.
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