IIT-Bombay to study irrigation potential of 2 contrasting talukas

Nashik: The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) is conducting a survey in rainfed taluka of Dindori and the dry region of Sinnar as part of Unnat Maharashtra Abhiyan, a state initiative to enable demand-driven research.
The Abhiyan will give citizens access to institutions of learning for topical research.
The students of IIT-B have been stationed in Sinnar and Dindori for carrying out survey of irrigation facilties in the region, sources of water and the demand for water.
"Citizens, MLAs, MPs, and members of zilla parishad and even gram panchayat can make a demand for planning of sanitation, drinking water supply system, watershed analysis, jalyukt shivar, taluka tanker plan assessment etc. The plan will be executed by educational institutions. Sinnar MLA Rajabhau Vaze sought our expertise in testing the irrigation potential of his taluka," said Milind Sohoni, head CTARA, IIT Bombay.
The study is a part of the process to identify water resources for the region, rainfall, contours, rivers and their status in various seasons, groundwater levels along with cropping pattern and other related factors.
"Students will assess the situation with reference to available quantity of water and its cropping pattern. It will focus on ways and means to achieve optimal usage of water to meet the targets of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana - which goes with the tag line of 'har khet ko pani'. In places like Sinnar, this is going to be an arduous task and the success here will be a benchmark because the region hardly receives any rainfall," a senior district collectorate officer said.
The overall objective is to make technological alternatives available to people to boost socio-economic development for the ones who are at the bottom of the pyramid.
MLA Vaze said that he had sought the attention of the state government to carry out a study in Sinnar which was perennially drought-hit and where there was a need to take major steps for resolving issues that trouble the farmers.
Senior officials from IIT-B said that the regions of Sinnar and Dindori show extremely opposite climatic conditions. They were selected for understanding and preparing the irrigation plan for the district.
"While Sinnar is drought-hit, Dindori is a rain-rich region. The characteristics are quite opposite. But the studies here will help us design the irrigation plan for the district which, of course, would be carried out only after rigorous survey of all the places in the district," Sohoni said.