‘Planning to Ensure Continuous Water Supply from Ujjani for the Entire Summer to the District’ – Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil

Solapur : The available water storage in the Ujjani Dam is 96.92%, while last year it was 66%. Water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil has urged for meticulous planning to ensure that water remains available throughout the summer for farmers’ irrigation needs and drinking water for citizens in Solapur district. He also emphasized that, despite the available water in the dam, there should be no wastage of water. Additionally, he encouraged saving water from the released rotations.

In a meeting of the Ujjani Project’s Canal Advisory Committee, Minister (Godavari and Krishna Basin Development Corporation) Mr. Vikhe Patil provided guidance. MPs Praniti Shinde, Dhairyashil Mohite Patil, and MLAs Subhash Deshmukh, Devendra Kothe, Samadhan Avtade, Raju Khare, Abhijeet Patil, Narayan Patil, Uttam Jankar, District Collector Kumar Ashirwad, Executive Director of the Water Resources Department Atul Kapole, Municipal Commissioner Sheetal Teli Ugle, CEO of the Zilla Parishad Kuldeep Jangam, and other senior officials from the department and non-government members of the Canal Advisory Committee were present.

Through video conferencing, Youth Welfare and Sports Minister Dattatray Bharne, Akalkot MLA Sachin Kalyanshetti, former MLA Harshvardhan Patil, Ahilyanagar District Collector, and other dignitaries also participated.

Minister Vikhe Patil stated that water from the Ujjani project will be managed meticulously through the cooperation of elected representatives, officers, farmers, and citizens. Currently, the Water Resources Department has planned for three rotations of water release for irrigation: on January 4, March 1, and April 1. However, after the first rotation of water is released from the Ujjani Dam on January 4, 2025, the Canal Advisory Committee of the Ujjani Project will meet again in February 2025 to try and allocate as much water as possible from the available stock. He also urged farmers and citizens to save water from each rotation.

To ensure water flows properly to the farthest points after release from the Ujjani Project, the Water Resources Department has been instructed to clear trees and shrubs from the canals. Encroachments on the canal banks should be removed. The canal repairs must be completed on time to ensure smooth water flow. Additionally, the bridges on the canals should be repaired or new bridges constructed where necessary. The department has been asked to implement a special campaign in this regard. The department has also proposed 11 barrages on the Bhima River, and the government has received a proposal for these. Minister Vikhe Patil stated that efforts will be made to approve as many barrages as possible.

Minister Vikhe Patil also informed that last year, due to excessive water flow in the Ujjani Left Canal, a breach occurred in Paatkul, Mohol taluka, causing damage to crops and farmland of 330 farmers. He assured that compensation would be provided to these farmers within the next eight days. He instructed the district collector to hold a separate meeting to resolve any complaints or issues related to the Ujjani project, including those from farmers, citizens, and the canal committee members. He also mentioned that a tender had been issued for the removal of 10 to 15 TMC of silt from the Ujjani Dam several years ago, but it was canceled. The committee has submitted a report on this to the government, and a decision will be made on it in the future.

State Youth Welfare and Sports Minister Dattatray Bharne emphasized the need for careful and strict planning for the distribution of water for both irrigation and drinking purposes from the Ujjani Project. He pointed out that the dam receives rainwater in July and August, and therefore, efforts should be made to distribute the current water equally among all beneficiaries while also ensuring that regional water supply schemes receive adequate water.

The presentation was made by the Executive Engineer and Secretary of the Canal Advisory Committee, Mr. Khande, who provided detailed information on the micro-planning of Ujjani Project water until May 2025. The presentation included various large, medium, and small projects managed by the Beneficiary Area Development Authority for irrigation, as well as water distribution and irrigation plans for the 2024-25 Kharif and Rabi seasons.

In the meeting, various issues raised by elected representatives and non-government members were discussed. MLA Samadhan Avtade requested five rotations of water release for the Solapur district during this season, congratulating the minister for providing five rotations last year. MLA Subhash Deshmukh also supported the request and suggested ensuring that water reaches the final point in the canal. MP Praniti Shinde raised the issue of farmers not yet receiving compensation from the Ujjani Dam and requested a separate meeting for resolution. MP Dhairyashil Patil also emphasized planning to ensure water supply to farmers until the monsoon. MLA Sachin Kalyanshetti requested enough water for the Akalkot constituency’s drinking water schemes. Former MLA Harshvardhan Patil suggested providing equal distribution of water as per the irrigation plan.

Karmla MLA Narayan Patil suggested that extra water flowing into the Ujjani Project during the monsoon should be diverted to Karmla taluka. MLA Abhijeet Patil requested water supply to four villages in Mhada taluka under the Sina Mhada irrigation project. Non-government committee members also raised the demand to classify the Bhima River as a canal, considering the flow of water from the Solapur Municipal Corporation’s pipeline work.