Maharashtra to do impact assessment of chain weirs

Published in The Hitavada CityLine on June 7, 2013

Govt to assess impact of chain weirs

Staff Reporter
Maharashtra Government has decided to assess the impact of chain cement-concrete weirs constructed to store water of nullahs across the State. The weirs are being constructed on a large scale to achieve the desired impact of water refilling. However, no deadline has been set for evaluation.
The scheme of construction of chain weirs was launched in the year 2012-13 to ensure increase in groundwater level, protected irrigation for agriculture, tackling drinking water problem for humans as well as animals, and to increase employment and self-employment opportunities. For the purpose, funds are being utilised through various existing schemes and heads. However, now the Government wants to evaluate changes effected by the weirs.
Water Conservation Department of the Government has fixed parameters on which performance of these chain weirs will be evaluated. These parameters include improvement in level of groundwater and the wells in areas closer to the weirs, change in frequency of wells going dry, increase in water availability after strengthening of water sources. Whether the area under green cover or horticulture has increased, also will be one of the aspects of evaluation. Positive change in cropping pattern, increase in agricultural production, improvement in availability of fodder and firewood, increase in livestock, employment generation, and enhancement in income of individual farmers also are among the parameters for assessment of impact of chain weirs.
To plug misappropriation of funds, data about weirs constructed has been sought with technical details like latitude, longitude, and group number of farms benefited. The farms mentioned in reported data will be verified on the basis of GIS mapping. This aspect has been introduced, sources said, considering the previous experience of some elements misappropriating funds by way of furnishing bogus names of beneficiaries. As part of the impact assessment exercise, photograph of the weir constructed has been sought apart from completion certificate and funds utilisation certificate.
Though the parameters of evaluation have been fixed, no deadline has been set for completion of assessment exercise. According to officials familiar with the implementation of the scheme, assessment will be a continuous process and emphasis has been laid on regular reporting of required data.