Sambalpur: Sasan canal, a lifeline for agriculture for major parts of Sambalpur, is all set for renovation. The state government has given its go-ahead to the detailed project report submitted by the water resources department, a report said.
The report said the canal renovation will be carried out with cement-tiered composite dulexe carpet (CCDC) method. Renovation will be done for an 8-km stretch of the 22-km long canal in the first phase.
Speaking about the project, Pramod Kumar Panda, executive engineer of the water resources department, revealed that the state government has sanctioned Rs 63 crore for its renovation while the tender process has been initiated.
It is expected that the renovation will start in November. The executive engineer added that under the CCDC method, water flow in the canal will not be blocked for a long time while renovation work is on.
This will not hamper the irrigation to farmlands. The canal bed will be paved with concrete carpets as thick as 11 mm to ensure that water flows quickly and smoothly. The renovation will check siltation and save Rs 40 lakh as annual maintenance cost.
In 2002-03, Rs 34 crore was spent for renovation while Rs 70 crore had been spent in 2007. As the canal has not been dredged for a long time, water flow to the tail end areas has been affected with farmers facing water shortage.
PNN