Bisalpur Dam to be dredged , DCIL team to visit
JAIPUR: Dredging is the method of cleaning the bed of a dam by taking out mud, sand etc
RAVINDRA KATARA, Bisalpur dam executive engineer
In a bid to clean the bed of Bisalpur dam, the government of Rajasthan has contacted Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL), Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, an Indian government undertaking, engaged in the business of dredging.
The main idea behind de-silting or dredging of Bisalpur dam at Deoli in Tonk district, is to increase the water storage capacity and use the silt, scooped out of the dam bed for construction purpose and agriculture.
A team from DCIL will be headed for Jaipur next week and visit the site on May 8. The team is supposed to meet some government officials on the following day.
Additional district magistrate of Tonk, Lokesh Kumar Gautam said, “A team of technical experts from DCIL will be the site on May 8.”
Bisalpur dam executive engineer, Ravindra Katara said that the government intends to work on the possibility of dredging that will increase the water storage and help utilise the silt and sand. He also confirmed the visit of the DCIL team next Tuesday.
Elaborating on dredging, he said, “Dredging is the method of cleaning the bed of a dam by taking out mud, sand etc.” The DCIL team will assess the technical feasibility of de-silting of the dam.
If the team finds it feasible, then Rajasthan will be the first state in the country to dredge a water reservoir. It is to be mentioned that Bisalpur dam supplies 600 MLD drinking water per day to Jaipur and with dredging, it will be able to store more water, that would, in turn, help fulfil the increased demand for potable water during summers.
It is also believed that if Banas river sand is dredged out from the Bisalpur dam, it can help in overcoming the bajri crisis in Rajasthan.
The Bisalpur dam has approximately 17% silt.