A first of its kind in the country, the scheme seeks to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well.
When Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the Gangajal Aapurti Yojana in Rajgir, Gaya and Bodh Gaya in southern Bihar recently, he laid the foundation for addressing water challenges in the region in the present as well as the future, keeping in mind the expected population in 2051.Launched under the Rs 4,000-crore Jal Jeevan Hariyali campaign, the scheme is to be completed in two phases.
Talking on the occasion, Kumar said, “The Gangajal Apoorti Yojna was started in 2019. Water that is coming is part of Nawada district and is stored there and from there one part flows to Rajgir, the second part to Gaya and Bodh Gaya and the third part is for Nawada itself. The Rajgir work is complete. So is the work for Bodh Gaya and Gaya. Water will reach all households at Rajgir in the Nalanda district. No place will be without water now.”
Besides, during the monsoon season, the water that is wasted as runoff or leads to flooding will be recycled into portable drinking water for citizens residing in Rajgir, Bodh Gaya and Gaya in the first phase and in Nawada district in the second phase in the 2023. Experts say that diverting water for usage is a welcoming step to avoid floods. Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, added, “We have in a way balanced droughts and floods. Today the completion of this project is a milestone in the developmental narrative of progressive Bihar. We always focus on making sure that the basic needs of society are met through our efforts.”
A first of its kind in the country, the scheme seeks to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well. Sanjay Kumar Jha, Minister for Water Resources Department and Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Bihar, said, “Out of the 17 SDGs, four Goals are met by the Ganga Jal Aapurti Yojna.” The schemes contribute to SDG 3 on Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13 on Climate Action.
Jha added, “This project is much talked about in the spaces of flood mitigation and utilisation of flood water by converting it into drinking water.” The scheme is also expected to help in groundwater recharge, which will be helpful for the farming community as well.
In addition to the local population of Rajgir, the scheme will also cater to global tourists of Bodh Gaya. Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, which has theme defined tourist circuits, Bodh Gaya falls under the Buddhist Circuit and Rajgir under the Spiritual Circuit. UNESCO World Heritage site Nalanda University is situated at Rajgir, too, attracting a large number of tourists. The project is also generating employment locally. The small scale industries are also amongst the beneficiaries.
Hyderabad based Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) executed the project under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model. C H Subbaiah, Director, MEIL, says, “We completed this project in record time despite the Covid pandemic. Ganga water was brought from Hathidah and enroute a number of reservoirs and water treatment plants were constructed to make potable water available at needy places.”
Under the scheme, the Ganga floodwater is taken from Hathidah Ghat in Mokama, Patna, and stored during the monsoon months. At Hathidah, an intake well-cum-pump house has been constructed. From Hathidah, water is pumped into Rajgir detention tank via a 91 km long pipeline. Storage reservoirs have been also built and from the reservoirs, water is further treated to make it safe for human consumption. After water is treated at the water treatment plan, water will reach the beneficiaries though the pipielines and tanks of Public Health Engineering Department (PHED).
-Travel for the story was supported by Water Resources Department, Government of Bihar and Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL).