Sardar Sarovar Nigam pens computerised water supply plan

The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd has chalked out a plan for distributing water to various parts of the state.

The Narmada main canal joining the Sardar Sarovar Project dam site with various parts of the state is fast reaching completion.

Water for irrigation will be taken to eight hectare blocks through a 66,000 km network of conveyance and distribution system consisting of branch canals, distributaries, minors and sub-minors.

As many as 44 branch canals off take from the Narmada main canal, of which Miyagam, Vadodara, Saurashtra and Kachch branch canals will be the major branches with a capacity of more than 2,650 cusecs.

The distribution system will cover a gross command area of 34.28 lakh hectares (84.72 Lakh acres), a Sardar Sarovar Nigam release said. The branch canals and the distributaries system network up to eight hectare blocks will be lined so that wastage of water through leakage is kept minimum.

The canal systems up to the village level (called village services area) for irrigation of about 500 hectares irrigation land will be operated by the central authority, the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam. Below the village level, the systems will be fully operated by organisations of farmers to be formed for the purpose. The organisations will be called Water Users' Association.

The system would be fully computerised and remotely operated up to the level of 300 cusecs capacity.

Since the demands of farmers' associations are known at the level of 300 cusecs branch capacity reasonably in advance, the computerised system would ensure that the required water flow which is an aggregation of the demands of village level associations is delivered accurately.

The remotely controlled system would make automatic adjustments in respect of closing of gates in the main canal and branches such that the system runs smoothly and safely, the release said.

The basic purpose of computerising the operations is to make the systems more responsive, accurate and easy to operate, the statement said.

A remote control computer system is being developed for the branch canals with a capacity more than 300 cusecs and main canal with length 458 km so that water can be distributed accurately and more help can be given to about 3,300 villages.

As of today, the work on Narmada main canal (NMC) up to 357 km is completed. Total 500 structures have been constructed. The NMC, when completed, will be 532 kms in length and will be one of the world's largest lined canal built for carrying the Narmada water across Gujarat for 458 km and 74 km for Rajasthan, the statement said.

Its capacity at the head is 40,000 cusecs and the canal will be used to transport a major quantum of Naramda water for irrigation, drinking and domestic purposes for villages and towns.

The canal will also carry surplus water as per availability during monsoon to parched areas of Gujarat.