State redraws its irrigation map

“In the first phase,the revision will involve 3.5 lakh hectares of command area of Ukai dam which includes urban areas of Surat,Navsari,Vapi,Valsad,Vyara,Bardoli and Ankleshwar. These areas have witnessed heavy industrialisation and urbanisation and so there will be huge chunk of areas which do not require irrigation water now. Another revision is going on for 2.5 lakh hectares of command area of Mahi dam in south Gujarat and Dharoi dam project in north Gujarat. Mahi project’s irrigation command area includes Nadiad,Anand,Matar,Petlad,Sojitra,Amod etc.,which also have witnessed rapid urbanisation. Visanagar,Vadnagar and other towns in the Dharoi command area are also turning into be non-agriculture areas. A survey is being done by the irrigation department,which is likely to be over in the next few months. Once the new plan is ready,the government will notify the new command areas,” they said.

According to officials,there are 18 major dam projects in the state whose irrigation command areas are being revised. This excludes Sardar Sarovar Naramda dam project,which at its optimum level will provide irrigation water to around 18 lakh hectares as per the old plan. At present,it is providing irrigation water to around 4 lakh hectares.

Though there is no official plan for a revision of its command areas,Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) has already “decommanded” 41,000 hectares falling in Dholera and Sanand Special Investment Region (SIR) and is on the verge of denotifying another 42,000 hectares soon. Gradually,around 4 lakh hectares of command area,which the government has earmarked for SIRs,SEZs or industrial parks,will be decommanded.

S Jagadeesan,managing director of SSNNL,said the corporation at present did not have any plans for revision of the Narmada dam’s irrigation command area.