As proposed in the last budget, the State government has undertaken significant work on the repair and improvement of the Tillari Irrigation Canal on the Goa side.
Additionally, it has continued the regular safety audit and rehabilitation of dams as per the recommendations of the Dam Safety Panel (DSP).
However, the ambitious new programme, “Nadi Parikrama - Ugam Se Sangam,” for river conservation, which was announced in the 2024-25 budget, has yet to take off.
The repair and renovation of the Tillari water canal have made substantial progress, with 50 per cent of the work on the Goa side now complete.
The project, which involves redesigning and strengthening the 28-km-long canal, has so far cost the State government Rs 128 crore. This effort aims to ensure the canal remains durable for the next 25 years.
While work on the Goa side is advancing, the section of the Tillari canal on the Maharashtra side remains in a deteriorated state, as no repair work has commenced there.
Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar acknowledged this disparity, stating, “The repair and improvement of Tillari Irrigation canal on the Goa side are progressing well and are almost at the completion stage. But on the Maharashtra side, they have not yet started any work.”
Meanwhile, the safety audit of dams continues to be a priority for the State government. The agencies concerned have been carrying out the audits along with the rehabilitation and improvement of the dams as per the directives of the DSP. “The safety audit of dams is conducted across India annually by the dam safety panel, and we follow all the recommendations made by the panel,” Shirodkar said.
However, the government’s grand plan to launch the “Nadi Parikrama- Ugam Se Sangam” programme for river conservation has failed to materialise. The initiative, which was proposed at a cost of Rs 5 crore in the 2024-25 budget, was meant to involve nature walks, drone shoots, river health monitoring and natural solution planning for river conservation, with the collaboration of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). Despite these ambitious plans, there has been no progress in launching the programme.
