Bihar Government Reviews Key Water Resource Projects, Emphasizes Coordination with Forest Department
Many senior officials of both the departments including Principal Secretary of Water Resources Department, Shri Santosh Kumar Malla attended an important meeting of the officials of Water Resources and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Shri Amrit Lal Meena. In this, there was a detailed discussion on the updated progress of three important schemes of the Water Resources Department as well as the issue of getting necessary cooperation from the Forest Department.
In the meeting, senior officials of the Water Resources Department informed through presentation that the work of the department's ambitious plan to provide drinking water in Bhabua and Mohania cities using surface water under Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan is in progress. This includes construction of a floating barge in Durgawati reservoir, a water purification plant of 35 MLD capacity, an underground reservoir and a pump house and laying of pipeline to Bhabua and Mohania cities. The department has prepared and submitted a protection plan for some trees falling under the scope of this work, on which cooperation is expected from the Forest Department. Also, a detailed review was done on the cases of environmental clearance requested on the Parivesh portal. In this context, the Chief Secretary directed that the officials of the Water Resources Department and the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change should resolve this problem quickly by establishing mutual coordination and ensure that the works of the scheme are completed on time.
Similarly, under the Barnar Reservoir Scheme of the Water Resources Department, concrete dams and canals are to be constructed near Katharatand village on the Barnar river, a tributary of the Kiul river in Sono block of Jamui district. Farmers of Sono, Jhajha, Khaira and Gidhaur blocks of Jamui district will be benefited by this scheme. In the meeting, the officials of the Water Resources Department informed that there is a proposal to transfer/divert some forest land and some non-forest land for the construction of the structures of this scheme. The Chief Secretary directed that the officials of both the departments should complete the necessary action regarding the land desired for the scheme soon, so that the scheme can be completed on time. In the meeting, the District Magistrate, Jamui, who joined through video conferencing, informed about the updated status regarding the resolution of matters related to forest land diversion.
The meeting also discussed the Sindhwarni Reservoir Scheme of the Water Resources Department, under which the construction of a gated weir at the confluence of Sindhwarni and Maan rivers in the upstream of Kharagpur Lake in Munger district and the restoration work of 9.66 km long canal system is to be done. The farmers of Haveli Kharagpur block of Munger district will be benefited by this scheme. The officials of the Water Resources Department informed that the process of diversion of forest land for the construction of gated weir under this scheme is under process. In this context, the Chief Secretary directed that the points raised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India should be resolved soon and the process of diversion of the desired forest land for the scheme should be completed.
