Environmental Monitoring & Impact Assessment of Wasni (BK) Dam

Abstract

Maharashtra is one of the Indian states mostly relying on agriculture. The Government of Maharashtra has been giving utmost importance for developing irrigation green fields. Under its efforts, the State has formulated a few Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) has been formulated for increasing irrigation potential of Vidharbha region of Maharashtra. VIDC has undertaken a few major, medium and minor irrigation projects based on the yields from catchment areas of respective projects. For the urban Indian, the word ?irrigation? conjures up images of first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the Bhakra Nangal Dam (Temples of Modern India) and the tribal ousts of the Narmada dam. These are diverse perspectives on the story of large irrigation infrastructure in India. In fact, in popular public perception, irrigation connote ?large irrigation infrastructure? rather than provision of irrigation services. Agriculture is the backbone of Amravati district, in which the command area of Wasni project is an integral part. Most of the people are poor and economically backward. The proposed command area or its vicinities are devoid of any assured irrigation facility, through Sapan River potential for a medium project flows just adjacent to these areas, with its waters being unutilized. Because of the scarcity of the water there is a need to do socio-economic impact of Wasni(BK) dam.