No water will flow down Manjarpada this year too

Nashik: Even after the government spending Rs 145.12 crore on the Manjarpadawater diversion scheme in Dindori taluka and completing 60% of the work, the villagers will not be able to tap any water through the project this year too.
The Manjarpada water diversion scheme is a pilot project for diverting water from the west-flowing rivers into the Godavari basin.The scheme originates from Kem hill in Dindori taluka, which happens to have three phases dividing the region in the Godavari and Tapi basin – both flowing eastwards and the west-flowing Nar region.
"Known by the tribal village ‘Manjarpada', the showcase project includes tapping of at least 606 million cubic feet of water and diverting it to the Godavari basin using two tunnels. Since the work has not been completed, the water will not be diverted this season," Dindori MLA Narhari Zhirwal said.
Only 65% of the work on the tunnels has been completed. The work of construction of the spill way, the earthen bunging that will arrest and divert the water flowing westwards in the two tunnels 1.062 km and 8.960 km long to bring the water to Godavari basin is still to start.
"There are a number of river-linking projects being planned. But in this case, land acquisition was next to nil which highly contributed to the cost factor. The most important benefit was that rainwater falling in Nashik distirct and flowing westwards was being diverted. It would mean there would be no issues at all for regional conflicts. Yet, the work have been stalled for a long time now," a senior water resource department official said.
Along with Manjarpada, there are 13 more small diversions projects which do not require construction of any kind of tunnels but in fact they constitute open channel to divert water from these regions to Palkhed dam complex. "It has the potential to tremendously increase the irrigation possibilities – locally as well as the downstream," the official said.
Residents of Dindori, Chandwad and Yeola talukas have been eagerly waiting for the completion of the project.
"Politics aside, the entire state would have been able to witness development through the scheme at least partially this year. If the tunnels were completed, at least 10% of the targeted water could have been received. There would have been tremendous change in the lives of farmers in far eastern region of Nashik district," a senior agriculture department official said.