Imphal, Jul 20 (DIPR): IFCD Chief Engineer G Robindro Sharma has said that Thoubal Multipurpose Project will be inaugurated in September this year. He was addressing a press conference organized by DIPR at its office complex at Moirangkhom today. Robindro said that as of now, almost all the components of the project including dam, spillway, barrage and canal system are complete. Black topping of the top of the dam is the only work which is yet to be executed, he said.
The project on completion would supply 10 million gallons of water per day to the water supply plants of Imphal, he said. Even though the project was approved way back on May 1, 1980 with an estimated cost of Rs 47.25 crore by the Planning Commission, it suffered many setbacks in its long journey which spanned over three decades in its implementation, Robindro said.
It got a new lease of life when it was included as an earmarked project in the Prime Minister’s Special Economic Package in November 2004. The latest revised cost of the project is Rs1694.27 crore, he said.
Regarding Dolaithabi Barrage project which was cleared with Rs 18.86 crore in 1992, the Chief Engineer said that about 95 per cent of the barrage component and 58 per cent of the canal system have been completed.
He further said that the Department has set a target to inaugurate the project in March next year. This project envisages diverting the flow of Iril river to irrigate 5,500 Ha of CCA in Imphal East. The latest revised cost of the project is Rs 508.48 crore, he said.
The completed irrigation projects which the IFCD has taken up so far include Sekmai Barrage Project, Imphal Barrage Project, Loktak Lift Project, Singda Multipurpose Project and Khoupum Dam Project.
The completed projects at present have an irrigation potential of 6350 Ha against the ultimate potential of 43642 Ha, he said and added that the main reason behind this gap between the ultimate potential and the present status is the lack of maintenance fund.
The Department is planning to take up Extension Renovation and Mordernisation (ERM) of these completed projects with Central assistance under AIBP of MoWR. The detailed project report for four completed medium projects – Sekmai, Imphal, Loktak Lift Irrigation and Singda projects have been accepted by the Ministry of Water Resources, he said and added that Planning Commission has also given investment clearance at the total cost of Rs 87.18 crore.
Apart from the irrigation benefits, Singda Multipurpose Project has been supplying 4.00 million gallons of raw water per day to PHED since its completion, said the Chief Engineer. Regarding flood control, Robindro said that IFCD has taken up several schemes including 22 different schemes under flood management programme (FMP) of Union Ministry of Water Resources.
Further, five new schemes for anti-erosion flood control works with a total cost of Rs 626.63 crore have been proposed to the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga for consideration during 2015-16, Robindro said. Besides this, seven schemes under NEC have been sanctioned and these are being implemented at a total cost of Rs 27.85 crore, he said.
However, despite these schemes, flash flood has been giving inconvenience to the people from time to time, he said and added that there are several factors responsible for this menace including growing urbanization and massive deforestation.
Hindrance in opening Ithai barrage is a major problem faced by IFCD while tackling flood, Robindro said.
Another major cause of flood is farming activities practised on the river banks, he said. IFCD is helpless and unable to take action as Flood Plan Zoning Act 1982 is not properly implemented in the State, he said.
The Chief Engineer also informed that his Department is fully prepared to deal with any eventuality during this rainy season. For this purpose the IFCD department has set up a 24-hour control room.
Moreover, a store room has also been opened from which the public can avail flood fighting equipments round the clock. The flood control room can be reached at phone number 2451550.
