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Dry spell: SSNNL releases more water to save crops

Thursday, 27 August 2009 11:11 administrator
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Indian Express 27.08.2009

Dry spell: SSNNL releases more water to save crops

To meet the growing demand for irrigation owing to inadequate rainfall in Gujarat, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) has started releasing over 10,000 cusec water in the canal.

“We have increased the release of water in the canal systems because there is a huge demand for irrigation as well as drinking water in Saurashtra and other regions of

the state,” said a senior SSNNL official.

He added that at present over 11,000 cusec water is being released from the Sardar Sarovar dam in the canal system. According to him, this is for the first time that such a huge quantity of water is being released in the canals from the Narmada dam.

“Around 6,000 cusec water is being provided in the Mahi command area in Vadodara district, where rainfall has been inadequate and irrigation is required to save the crops,” the official said

He added that around 2,000 cusec water is being provided in Fatehwadi canal to give irrigation in Dascroi areas where paddy is the main crop while through Mallya and Vallabhipur branch canals, irrigation is provided for cotton crops in Surendranagar district.

Moreover, apart from irrigation, Narmada water is the main source of drinking water in more than 8,000 villages in the state besides many towns and cities.

“As of now, 80 per cent of Ahmedabad’s total drinking water requirement and entire requirement of capital city of Gandhinagar is met with the Narmada water,” the official added.

According to him, if the water is used judiciously, there will be no shortage even in case of drought this year.

Last Updated on Thursday, 27 August 2009 11:15
 

Water supply cut, but no applicant for regularisation

Thursday, 27 August 2009 11:07 administrator
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Indian Express 27.08.2009

Water supply cut, but no applicant for regularisation

After the gastroenteritis outbreak in Punjabi Bagh claimed two lives and over 500 others were taken ill last month, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation had disconnected over 200 handpump connections in different parts of the city and encouraged residents to take up regular water connections.

The handpumps existed primarily in vehras where migrants live in large numbers. Till date, however, not even a single vehra owner has come forward to sign up for a regular connection from the MC.

This raises several questions on how the migrants continue to live in the vehras in the absence of proper water supply.

MC engineers maintain that no handpump connection has been re-installed.

Executive Engineer Manjit Singh said: “In Zone D alone, we had disconnected 60 handpump connections and even FIRs were registered against 3 vehra owners as it is their responsibility to provide drinking water and toilet facilities to those living on rent in their premises.”

Nearly 12 handpump connections were disconnected in Zone A while the others were in Zone B and C.

It, however, seems that after getting the FIRs registered, MC authorities have slept over the issue and not pursued the matter.

Executive Engineer A K Gupta also admitted that no one has come forward to regularise their connections till date.

The most probable reason, it appears is that vehra owners have once again taken to illegal methods under the nose of MC authorities who reiterated that strict action will be initiated against those who are not getting their connections regularised.

Last Updated on Thursday, 27 August 2009 11:11
 

DDA to build 65,000 houses; prefabricated units in offing

Thursday, 27 August 2009 10:59 administrator
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Indian Express 27.08.2009

DDA to build 65,000 houses; prefabricated units in offing

The Delhi Development Authority has proposed to build 65,000 houses for people from across varied income groups over the next four years.

The proposal for this scheme was submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development about a month back, according to a senior DDA official.

The plan was part of Urban Development minister Jaipal Reddy’s 100-day agenda, announced in June.

Often pulled up for delay in meeting deadlines, DDA plans to use new technology to ensure construction of these 65,000 houses. “Nearly 50,000 of these houses will be constructed with prefabricated technology, which is a faster mode of construction,” the DDA official told Newsline. “The other 15,000 will be built with conventional technology.”

Prefabricated houses are manufactured in standard sizes but off the site; they are then transported to the location and assembled. The advantage lies in that they can be put up much faster than standard, on-location construction.

The Delhi Development Authority has proposed to build 65,000 houses for people from across varied income groups over the next four years.

The proposal for this scheme was submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development about a month back, according to a senior DDA official.

The plan was part of Urban Development minister Jaipal Reddy’s 100-day agenda, announced in June.

Often pulled up for delay in meeting deadlines, DDA plans to use new technology to ensure construction of these 65,000 houses. “Nearly 50,000 of these houses will be constructed with prefabricated technology, which is a faster mode of construction,” the DDA official told Newsline. “The other 15,000 will be built with conventional technology.”

Prefabricated houses are manufactured in standard sizes but off the site; they are then transported to the location and assembled. The advantage lies in that they can be put up much faster than standard, on-location construction.

The remaining 15,000 houses, to be constructed with conventional technology, will be ready by 2011 and will cater to various income groups. “These flats will be for the lower income group (LIG), middle income group (MIG) and the higher income group (HIG),” the official said. “Construction has already begun on many of these houses.”

Other than these 65,000 houses, the land agency is also building 47,500 houses for rehabilitation of 23 slum clusters across the Capital. DDA has informed the Ministry of Urban Development that these units would be constructed within the next five years.

 
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