Himachal Pradesh has got its first-ever multipurpose rainwater harvesting dam constructed in the Una district.
As per a statement from the government, the dam has been constructed in the Samoor Khad area near village Samoor of the district at the cost of Rs 16.38 crores.
By storing the rainwater in a massive reservoir collected from the catchment area of 10 square kilometres, it can help 5,580 people living in the water-deficient areas of the state survive during dry seasons, said the Rural Development Minister Virender Kanwar.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will inaugurate the dam this month.
The cost-effective dam built in Samoor Khad is able to store up to 767 million litres of water to increase the groundwater level in geographically difficult areas said Rural Development Minister Virender Kanwar here today.
As per the minister, the water from dam is sufficient to irrigate 233 hectares of crops and combat weather vagaries of surrounding nine rocky, hilly villages for the entire year, which will directly benefit 1,088 families living in the area who face the onslaught of heavy heat and eventual drought.
The whole hill range has been used as a catchment for the reservoir with all the advantages of the large dams and can be used as a reservoir for irrigation needs of 5,580 population living in surrounding Samoor Kalan, Samoor Khurd, Lamlehri, Boul Upperli, Boul Jhikli, Karwalian Sanhal, Pernolian Sanhal, Melania Sanhal and Balh villages for greening the land and recharge groundwater by conserving each raindrop by putting in place a resource management system.
"These are all rocky hilly villages where rainwater slips into the lower valley side in Swan River thus leaving the entire area water-deficient throughout the year," said Kanwar.
Around 44 hand pumps and 31 wells that almost dry up during drought season in the areas will also be recharged through this dam during irrigation activities.
"And thus through this way, it will also change the ecosystem of the area and also improve the economy and living standard of the people as well help to grow more eco-friendly species in the area," added the minister.
The farmers, who almost left cultivation due to lack of seasonal rains or they barely grow one crop a year, due to lack of irrigation will able to grow cash crops/fruits and vegetables which will transform the economy of the region.
"For the first time, villagers managed to grow citrus fruits like guava, litchi, pomegranate mausmi etc through HP SHIVA project launched by Horticulture Department in these villages for optimum use of irrigation facilities. The seedling by the Fishery Department has been done in the reservation to grow the best quality fish and this will give another chance of employment to local people to start fisheries and tourism activities under the aegis of KTDS (Kutlehar Tourism Development society ) to generate one more step towards employment through fishing and tourism," added Kanwar.
The state government will develop this area as a model in convergence with various departments and involving the experts drawn from agriculture, horticulture, tourism and animal husbandry etc.
The Lift Irrigation scheme has been designed to irrigate the area of 9 villages for 233 hectares with gravity as well as by lifting the water back on the hill in the same catchment from where it comes down as runoff and goes down without recharging the rocky mountainous land at up hills and cause flood havoc on the lower region.
Kanwar said that water conservation efforts in the state have paid off. "The water level in many localities has increased drastically as a result of this initiative," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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