Leh, Aug 23: In a step towards strengthening water security and expanding irrigation potential, the Ladakh administration has submitted a proposal to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for construction of 36 check dam projects in the Union Territory, a Lok Bhavan spokesman said on Sunday.
The proposal, submitted on the directions of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, includes seven Himalayan rock check dams in Leh region and 29 RCC check dams/weirs in the Kargil region at an estimated cost of more than Rs 56 crore, the spokesman said.
The official said the proposal for inclusion of the check dams under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) has been submitted to the ministry for consideration and early approval.
The proposed projects would help impound a large quantity of untapped water in the Indus river in Leh and Suru river in Kargil, thereby strengthening the existing irrigation infrastructure, expanding irrigation potential and bringing additional cultivable land under assured irrigation, the spokesman said.
According to the detailed project report submitted to the Jal Shakti Ministry, these 36 check dams would irrigate a massive over 18,600 acres of land.
In Kargil region, 29 check dams have been proposed in wake of the agricultural requirements and prevailing acute water crisis noticed by LG Saxena during the recent visit to Kargil and representation made by many villagers.
The initiative is guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary principle of conserving water for the future security, the spokesman said.
He said it assumes great significance as Ladakh, despite being endowed with extensive glaciers, abundance of snow and glacial meltwater, faces acute water shortages during the agricultural season.
Of the total snow and glacial melt every year, only less than one percent of the total water is utilised at present.
Recognising this challenge, the LG ideated and executed cost-effective and locally suitable water conservation interventions, including the construction of five Himalayan rock check dams in Ladakh.
During his meeting with Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil in May this year, Saxena apprised the minister of the rock check dam.
Patil, while appreciating the initiative, had also assured necessary support from the ministry for Ladakh’s innovative water management initiatives, the spokesman said.
He said the pilot interventions have demonstrated encouraging results.
Besides creating an average storage of 25 to 30 million litres of water at shallow stretches of the river, they have also shown high durability and resistance against the increasing flow of water.
In the month of May, the water flow in the Indus was around 25 cusecs, whereas the flow increased to nearly 200 cusecs in August.
However, the rock check dams have successfully withheld the rising water pressure, the spokesman said.
“Ladakh cannot afford to let its precious glacier and snowmelt water flow away unused while our farmers face water shortages during the agricultural season.
“The rock check dams and recent initiative to divert approximately 90 million litres of glacier water Stok nallah into Igoo-Phey Canal and Chushot village canal demonstrates that simple, cost-effective and environmentally suitable interventions can make a transformative difference to water availability and agriculture,” the LG said.
He said, “We must harness every possible water resource and create a water-secure, agriculturally prosperous and climate-resilient Ladakh.”
According to the proposal submitted to the ministry, the three pilot rock check dams have augmented water availability in existing irrigation canals and enhanced cultivable command areas by up to 30 per cent, demonstrating the suitability of such structures to Ladakh’s unique geographical and hydrological conditions, the spokesman said.
Since taking over as LG, Saxena has conceived and executed several projects for long-term water and agricultural security in Ladakh, including Project Him Sarovar, Himalayan rock check dams, and the operationalisation of Igoo-Phey irrigation canal and Mahey canal, among others, the spokesman said.
So far, six Him Sarovars have been commissioned, while five rock check dams have been completed, he said.
