Storage capacity of Maharashtra dams to increase by 230 mn litre: Official

The storage capacity of dams in Maharashtra's Akola district will increase by 23 crore litre because of the implementation of the state government's Galmukt Dharan Galyukt Shivar Yojana, an official said on Tuesday.

Under the state government scheme, silt is dredged from dams and other water bodies to increase their storage capacity and it is then used on agricultural land to improve soil fertility.

"With the help of the district administration, 23.05 lakh meters of silt has been dredged from water bodies so far and more than 600 farmers have used the same on 700 acres of agricultural land," district water conservation officer Haribhau Geete said.

The exercise will increase the water storage capacity of dams in the district by 23 crore litre, he said.

Some of the major dams in the district are Katepurna, Morna, Nirguna, Uma, Dagadparwa, and Van.

"Non-governmental organisations are working to remove silt from 22 lakes and ponds and the silt is provided to farmers for free and it has improved soil fertility, said Vijay Apotikar, a farmer from the region.