Chhattisgarh draws up master plan for rivers

The Chhattisgarh government will chalk out a master plan for better utilisation of water from the rivers in the state.

Highly placed sources in state’s water resources department told Business Standard the plan would map availability and utility of water in the rivers across the state for the next 40 years. The document would underline how much water is available in the river and where it could be used.

Besides, it would suggest how many new dams could be built in the river. Sources said water in many rivers flowing across the state could not be properly utilised. The plan would help in using water for drinking, irrigation and industrial purposes.

The water resources department had assigned the job of preparing the plan to a Delhi-based consultancy. Sources said the plan was according to the guidelines of the Central Water Commission. The department had spent about Rs 4 core to prepare the plan.

The master plan for rivers submitted to the department had some loopholes and hence, the senior officials had asked the consultancy to rectify the same and submit it again. A part of the payment to the consultancy had been withheld till it submitted the plan after necessary corrections, sources added.

The master plan has been sent to the technical committee for perusal and comment, engineer-in-chief with the water resources department K K Mandhata said.

Once the technical committee approves the plan, it would be sent to the state government for the final formalities, he added.