DVC calls meeting to re-look DVRRC functioning

In the wake of the West Bengal government's charge that unplanned water released by the DVC was causing flood, the Corporation has decided to convey a meeting next Friday to assess the functioning of the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee which regulates the water discharge.

DVC chairman AWK Langstieh today said that Friday's meeting would have a re-look into the functioning of the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC) and try to 'fine-tune' it, if possible.

Sources in the five-member DVRRC committee said the meeting would primarily listen to the issues raised by the West Bengal government, represented by the chief engineer of irrigation, and try to address them to an extent possible.

Langstieh insisted that water release from the dams was not decided by the DVC, but the DVRRC in which officials from the Central Water Commission, one officer each from the West Bengal and Jharkhand governments and two from the DVC were members.

Langstieh today held a meeting with Bengal Irrigation secretary Navin Prakash and discussed the issues.

He explained that the Tenughat dam was not regulated by the DVRRC and was under Jharkhand government. Hence water release from that dam was unpredictable. Tenughat dam water comes downstream to Panchet dam.

Langstieh said that dredging of reservoirs was not feasible and that it was even discussed in Parliament.

"Dredging of reservoirs has never happened in India," he said.

"To improve water holding capacity of the reservoirs by just 10 per cent, an estimated cost of Rs 5000-6000 crore is required. Considering the "dire financial constraints" being faced by the DVC now it is almost impossible," DVC officials felt.

The chairman said that the highest water release by Maithon and Panchet dams was 90,000 cusecs on August two between 10pm and 6am against the downstream water holding capacity of 1.10 lakh cusecs.

He said that the combined water release for today was 75,000 cusecs.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today reiterated that the government had told the DVC that if they undertook dredging of reservoirs, four states would be saved from floods.

"DVC chairman met Irrigation secretary today. We told him that DVC is releasing water without (reservoir) getting filled. They are not doing dredging, modernisation and maintenance," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.

She said DVC was in the business of power generation, but had neglected irrigation.

"They are saying that dredging is not financially viable for them although it is technically possible," the chief minister said adding that Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal would be saved from floods if DVC does dredging.

She said that they had been explaining this to the DVC authorities time and again.