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Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Built For 5cr Decades Ago, Two Dams Now Need 400cr Repairs
1 2 Nagpur: The state cabinet on Tuesday approved an expenditure of over Rs400 crore for carrying out repairs on the Bor and Dham dams in Wardha district. The two dams were built 58 and 39 years ago respectively at a cost of around Rs5 crore each. Lack of maintenance over the years has affected the capacity of the canal distribution network of these two dams. With the actual irrigation coming down to less than a quarter of the original capacity, the dams now need repair works of Rs400 crore combined to be revived, said sources. The Bor dam is classified as a large-sized project with a total irrigation capacity of over 16,000 hectares. Dham, on the other hand, is a mid-sized project built to irrigate 9,000 hectares, said sources. Once an irrigation project is completed, it needs regular maintenance after it becomes operational. The Bor dam was completed in 1967 and Dham in 1986. The maintenance has been tardy over the years leading to a gradual decline in irrigation capacity, said sources. Bor would be getting Rs231 crore, while an amount of Rs197 crore has been approved for the Dham project. As against a capacity of more than 16,000 hectares, around 4,000 hectares are only irrigated through the Bor dam. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What Is Your Writing Missing? Grammarly Install Now Undo Dham now covers 1,000 odd hectares as against a capacity of 9,000 hectares, said sources. Sources said it's not the govt that is to be blamed for it. The maintenance of a dam's infrastructure is carried out with the funds received from water users. This includes farmers who form users' cooperatives for drawing water from the dams. However, due to poor realisation of funds from users, the maintenance of the canal network could not take place, ultimately leading to the current situation, a source said. Apart from other repairs, 1,000 odd structures out of 1,484 will have to be rebuilt in the Dham project. Even the Bor dam will need reconstruction of 1,300 structures. The dam has been built by the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). The VIDC put up a higher estimate for carrying out repairs, which was eventually brought down at various levels. Earlier, a total estimate of more than Rs600 crore was put up before the authorities, which has now been cut down to Rs400 crore, said sources.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
PAPs distressed over contaminated water in Gosikhurd dam
Nagpur: Yet another group from the area covered under the Gosikhurd irrigation project has raised concerns over contaminated water in the dam. The Chandrapur-based Gosikhurd Prakalpagrast Sangharsh Samiti, an association of project-affected persons (PAPs), has claimed that villages in the district are getting contaminated water from the dam. It's unfit for use by even cattle, claimed the Samiti. The project's environment management committee, which reviews these matters, has not held a single meeting in the last five years. The last meeting was in 2020. The panel comprises officials from the agriculture, health, and groundwater survey departments, as well as representatives of the PAP, said Govind Bhendarkar, the Samiti's convenor, at a press conference in Nagpur on Monday. He said the contaminated water from the Nag River and Kanhan River is ultimately getting collected in the Gosikhurd dam. The water poses a hazard to humans and even cattle, leading to health issues, he said. Officials of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) accepted that there have been complaints, especially from the fishing cooperatives about quality of water. The fishermen cooperatives have approached VIDC with reports of poor-quality water hampering fish breeding, the source said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The officer also accepted that the environment committee had not met, but a meeting is planned in a month, he said. A senior official of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) said pollution has been a concern for Gosikhurd waters. However, the level of contamination has gradually come down over the years. As much as 413 MLD of water out of over 500 MLD flowing is now getting treated. This flows from Nag River to Kanhan, finally merging into Wainganga River on which the Gosikhurd dam has been built. The water is treated by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) However, untreated sewage water flowing from other municipal bodies like Kamptee, Mouda, & even Bhandara continues to go into Gosikhurd waters. Notices have been sent to local bodies.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
HC: Notary Attested Affidavits Valid for Govt Tenders Unless Magistrate Clause Explicit
Nagpur: In a significant ruling set to streamline govt bidding procedures, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court has ruled that affidavits attested by a notary public are sufficient for participation in public tenders, unless an explicit requirement for magistrate attestation is stated in the bid document or related policy. A division bench of justices Nitin Sambre and Vrushali Joshi quashed the disqualification of a Yavatmal contractor, who was barred from a Rs55 lakh tender issued by the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) for submitting an affidavit attested by a notary instead of a magistrate. "The petitioner executed the affidavit in compliance with statutory provisions," the bench noted, adding that VIDC's rejection of the bid amounted to a 'complete non-application of mind'. The petitioner, represented by counsel Tejas Deshpande, had bid for furnishing and repair work under the Wardha Barrage (Hadgaon) Lift Irrigation Scheme. He submitted an affidavit on Rs100 stamp paper, duly notarised in Form 6 format. However, on April 15, 2025, VIDC rejected his bid citing Clause 13(vi)(7) of the tender, which officials claimed mandated attestation by an executive or district magistrate. Deshpande argued that the said clause made no such specification and that a govt resolution issued on October 18, 2023, also did not insist on a magistrate's attestation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo The court concurred, affirming that the Notaries Act, 1952, empowers notaries to administer oaths and validate affidavits, making notarised documents legally enforceable. The bench observed that VIDC effectively imposed a requirement that did not exist in either the tender conditions or state policy, thereby arbitrarily excluding a valid bid. It directed the agency to open and consider the petitioner's financial proposal. "Our observations lead to drawing the only conclusion that the petitioner complied with the tender condition and by no stretch of imagination leads to any other inference that the affidavit sworn before the notary cannot be equated with that of the affidavit sworn before the executive/district magistrate. The latter are appointed under the criminal law and it is not that any special powers are conferred on them while giving the oath or affirmation to that effect," the judges said. The ruling is expected to curb discretionary disqualifications by state agencies and clarifies that notarised affidavits, unless explicitly disallowed, meet the legal standard for tender compliance , Deshpande said.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Rubber dam will hold back water on Gondia river
Nagpur: The Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) plans to a pump up a dam on the Bagh River, which flows through Gondia along the Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra border. Instead of a conventional concrete weir, VIDC plans to install an inflated rubber dam , which can go up to three metres in height. The rubber balloon will be strong enough to hold the river flow, increasing the water level. In times of flood, an inbuilt mechanism will deflate the rubber, allowing the water to flow away naturally. It is a new technology and would cost around Rs109 crore. Instead of building a concrete weir or a barrage, high-grade rubber walls filled with air will act as the barrier. Rubber makes the dam flexible; it will fall flat after the air is released when water has to be allowed to flow away, explained a VIDC engineer. The dam will have three spans held with piers, the source said. The need for a dam on the Bagh River arose due to the falling water level . Over the years, the level has depleted due to diversions for various uses like drinking water to even industries. Due to this, a lift irrigation scheme (LIS) remained unused. A river needs to have a certain minimum level of water for an LIS to operate. The Rajegaon Kati LIS nearby remained unused due to low water level of Bagh River. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ative o software antivírus do seu computador Clique aqui Undo The dam, which will be inflated in the post-monsoon period, will provide some depth to the river, raising the water levels enough to operate the LIS. During monsoons, the dam will be brought down by releasing the air, allowing the water to flow freely, the source said. Even a concrete dam could have been built. However, the Bagh river has typically heavy silt deposits. Following successive monsoons, there is a likelihood of the conventional dam getting covered by the silt, leading to the need for frequent clearing operations. Silt can even flatten a conventional weir. Instead, the rubber dam will flatten itself during the monsoons, and the silt will flow away with the water, said the source. The rubber dam, also called a balloon weir, will be procured through a tendering process. This was seen as an alternative to the silting problem, and the design was approved by the technical advisory committee of the state's water resource department (WRD). INFO HOPE FLOATS Balloon weir is high-grade rubber walls inflated with air, up to 3m high Strong enough to hold back river water In case of flood, inbuilt mechanism deflates balloon, allowing water to flow naturally Balloon weir will hold back enough water for Lift Irrigation System (LIS) to operate Dam will provide depth to river, raising water levels for LIS Concrete dam leads to accumulation of silt, requiring frequent dredging
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Gosikhurd Project's Deadline Pushed To 2027 As Cost Spirals
1 2 Nagpur: The Maharashtra govt has once again extended the deadline for the completion of the long-pending Gosikhurd Indira Sagar Project , now pushing its final timeline to 2027. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed to TOI that while all existing works would be wrapped up by Sept 2026, remaining proposed works will follow and conclude by the end of 2027. Earlier, the govt had set a 2025 deadline for the project, launched by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988 with an original cost estimate of Rs372 crore, has seen repeated delays and is now projected to cost nearly Rs26,000 crore. A revised administrative approval of Rs25,972.69 crore was sanctioned by the Maharashtra Cabinet on April 21, aiming to accelerate the stalled on the Wainganga River in Bhandara district, the multipurpose irrigation project is being executed by the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). Designed to benefit approximately 1.96 lakh hectares of farmland across Bhandara, Nagpur, and Chandrapur districts, it also includes provisions for drinking water, industrial supply, fisheries, and hydroelectric who earlier claimed in the state assembly in April 2024 that the project would be completed by 2025, reiterated that the delays were primarily due to the inefficiency of previous Congress govts. "This project could have transformed irrigation in Vidarbha, but persistent neglect by previous Congress govts delayed it," he had said in the obtained through an RTI filed by activist Abhay Kolarkar previously revealed that despite being declared a national project and receiving approval from the Central Water Commission's Technical Advisory Committee in 2008, the VIDC created only limited irrigation potential. Originally intended to irrigate 1.90 lakh hectares and projected to create potential for 2.5 lakh hectares, the project was supposed to be completed by sources within the irrigation department have pointed to systemic corruption, political interference, and poor fund allocation as reasons behind the project's stagnation. The Gosikhurd project is widely cited as an example of how mismanagement has turned a potentially transformative development into a financial in February 1981 and touted as a harbinger of agricultural revival for Vidarbha — a region long plagued by droughts, debt, and farmer suicides — the project has failed to meet expectations more than four decades later. The latest extension is seen as yet another attempt to breathe life into a scheme that once promised a green revolution in Maharashtra's most distressed farming belt.
