PM Modi to lay foundation of Rs 6,700-crore dam in Himachal Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be laying the foundation of the Rs 6,700-crore Renukaji Dam project from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi town today.

The project on the Giri river in Sirmaur district, once completed, is expected to generate 200 million units of energy in a surface power house with 40 MW installed capacity which would be utilized by the state.[Readmore]

Supreme Court to hear pleas pertaining to Mullaperiyar dam’s safety today

The Kerala government had earlier moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to Tamil Nadu to not release a huge quantity of water in the wee hours from the spillway shutters of the century-old dam, saying it causes heavy damage to people living downstream.

The Supreme Court is set to hear on Wednesday a string of petitions which have raised safety concerns regarding the 126-year-old Mullaperiyar dam, a broiling operational dispute between the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

A bench of justices AM Khanwilkar and CT Ravikumar had last Friday adjourned the hearing to December 15 after senior advocate Shekhar Naphade informed the top court that the Tamil Nadu government will be requiring more time to file its reply to the fresh objections raised by Kerala.[Readmore]

Union Minister Pralhad Singh Patel Reviews Work At National Water Academy and Central Water and Power Research Station at Khadakvasla

Pune, 24 December 2021: Union Minister of State for Water and Food Processing Pralhad Singh Patel is on a two-day visit to Maharashtra. On the second day of the tour today, Patel visited the Satara Mega Food Park and inspected the ongoing works over there. This food park has not yet started at full capacity. The Minister assured to try and remove the problems related to this project. “Cold storage facilities should be made available in this food park”, he added.

Patel also visited Apshinge village of Satara Taluka and Gutalwadi village in Khandala Taluka of Satara district and inspected various works carried out under the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to supply safe and adequate drinking water to households. The Minister appreciated the waste recycling process adopted by the villagers of Gutalwadi.[Readmore]

Uppada coast continues to face erosion threat

Research body recommends erecting 5 km sea wall

Erosion on the Uppada coast in East Godavari district has been a major concern for a long time, and continues to be a threat to the vegetation and the fisherfolk habitat.

A decade ago, a geo-tube was installed along the 1.5 km coastline to prevent erosion. However, hit by repeated cyclones and high tidal waves, the geo-tube has mostly been destroyed. As a result, erosion has eaten up several houses, roads and acres of soil of the fisherfolk habitat. It did not even spare a temple that once stood on the beach.

The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS-Pune) has recommended erecting a five-km sea wall with five-layer geo material to arrest the erosion that is at its peak now. The ₹176 crore proposal is now under the consideration of the State government, according to sources. [Readmore]

Thottappally harbour to be upgraded to global standards

‘₹112-cr. for new breakwater on north, longer structure on south’

The State Government is planning to upgrade the Thottappally fishing harbour on a par with international standards, Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian has said.

Replying to a submission by Ambalappuzha MLA H. Salam in the Assembly on Thursday, Mr. Cherian said the department was preparing an estimate of ₹112 crore for constructing a 436-m breakwater on the northern side and increasing the length of the breakwater on the southern side, among other works.

The first phase of the harbour was completed in 2011. However, the harbour remains almost dysfunctional due to heavy silting in the harbour basin, which makes navigation an arduous task. The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, which conducted a study, recommended increasing the length of the breakwater on the southern side and construction of a new breakwater on the northern side to prevent the accumulation of silt.[Readmore]

Central water officials review Polavaram works

Polavaram: The officials of the Central Water and Power Research Station—scientist-E, M Selva Balan, scientist-C, JK Singh, RA from SMA division Khalil Bhagawan—visited the Polavaram project on Tuesday and observed the working of the instrumentation in the gallery. They went around to find out how many boxes were installed and how many are yet to be installed and also the working of these boxes. The CWPRS officials were accompanied by Irrigation Chief Engineer Sudhakar Babu, superintending engineer Narasimha Murthy, executive engineer Adi Reddy, DEE Rameswar Naidu, Megha Engineering vice-president Rangarajan, general manager Muddukrishna, Devmani Mishra, AGM Rajesh Kumar, manager Murali.[Readmore]

Batpady sea erosion: Ports Department to get expert advice from CWPRS

Beach erosion has intensified at Batpady despite execution of ADB-funded Someshwara Beach Rejuvenation Project.

With the Asian Development Bank-funded Someshwara Beach Rejuvenation Project coming to and end and southern parts of the stretch in Batpady getting completely eroded, the Ports Department has decided to get technical guidance from the Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune, to prevent erosion.

The ADB-funded project was active for about four years during which a special unit of the department constructed ten groynes horizontally into the sea between Uchchila and Batpady. It also constructed two offshore reefs on the Uchchila-Batpady stretch. Both these structures were intended to break the velocity of waves and help beach rejuvenation. Close to ₹240 crore was said to have been spent on this project.

While beach erosion has considerably reduced on the Uchchila stretch where the groynes and one offshore reef were constructed, it has aggravated at the Batpady stretch where one reef was constructed. Local residents had been demanding the construction of two or three more groynes towards the Kerala border, which did not happen.

Executive Engineer of Udupi Division with Ports Department, Tharakesh Phayde told The Hindu that a team from CWPRS was expected to visit Batpady stretch this month-end or during the first week of October to study the encroachment and determine the reasons. CWPRS will also be asked to evaluate the impact of the beach rejuvenation project. Once the institute submits its recommendations, the department will take necessary action, he said.[Readmore]