The Union government has cleared two major lift irrigation projects at Tembhu and Takari-Mhaisal with fund allocations of Rs 112 and Rs 90 crore, respectively. The project is aimed at addressing the water scarcity challenges of Satara, Sangli and Solapur districts in Maharashtra.
According to the state irrigation department, the Tembhu lift irrigation project was administratively approved in 1996 for Rs 1,416.59 crore. The scheme envisages lifting of 22.13 TMC water from the Krishna River to irrigate 80,472 hectares of land in Karad, Kadegaon, Tasgaon, Khanapur, Atpadi, Kavathe Mahankal and Sangola talukas. The water requirement is met with Koyna, Wang Tarali storage dam and the Krishna river.
Water from the Takari Mhaisal scheme will first be used for filling up of lakes in Jath tehsil, which would meet the demand of locals. The scheme consists of constructing a barrage across Krishna river at village Tembhu, in Satara district.
A review meeting will be conducted every week to keep a check on the progress of the work. Before monsoon, the state wants to complete maximum work of laying down pipelines under the Tembhu scheme. It will be the second most important pipeline with a capacity to lift crores of litres of water to drought-hit areas.
