RIPE AND WRONG
Can you tell the difference between an artificially ripened mango and a naturally ripe one? Here’s what you should know about the king of fruits before you bite into one
DILIP PATEL AND RUTURAJ JADAV
Tempted by the golden yellow mangoes at the fruit vendor’s shop? Stop before you reach for them as dangerous chemicals could be the secret behind their good looks. The AMC’s health department has raided over 30 shops in the past month and found vendors using calcium carbide to ripen mangoes.
If you want to check if a fruit is naturally ripe, check the three S: smell, sweetness and smear. Artificially ripened mangoes do not smell the same as naturally ripened mangoes. The flesh is sour near the centre. The mangoes ripened artificially usually have traces of powder on the skin.
An artificially ripened mango has a yellow outer skin but the tissue inside would not be ripe. If the fruit is uniformly well coloured, or if black blotches appear on the skin in two or three days, you could suspect chemical ripening.
The use of calcium carbide, available in the form of a white powder, is banned under the FDA Act as an agent for artificial ripening of fruit as it entails health hazards affecting nerves, eyes, skin and lungs. Calcium carbide stones are powdered and placed in paper pouches in the basket or as a stone in mango godowns.
FRUIT-FUL RAIDS
THE STATE food and drug department carried out three raids in Porbandar, Ahmedabad and Bhavangar.
Food and Drugs Commissioner H G Kosia said, “Since calcium carbide cannot be detected once the fruit is exposed to the weather, we have asked our officials to seize fruits still in their boxes. The boxes usually contain packets of calcium carbide.”
AMC ON GUARD
THE AMC too, has formed a striking team of nine officials that move around the city to catch offenders who sell artificially ripened mangoes to make a quick buck. The team carried out raids in Ambawadi and Manekbaug and is keeping a watch on vendors at the Kalupur and Naroda fruit markets.
Medical Health Officer Dr S P Kulkarni said, “So far, more than 3,000 kg of artificially ripened mangoes and 40 kg of calcium carbide have been seized in the city.”
According to the Food Adulteration Act, violators are liable to undergo a six-month imprisonment and pay fine of Rs 1,000. The team has registered cases against four vendors and collected Rs 50,000 as administrative charges from offenders.
RIPEN FRUITS AT HOME
FORMER VICE-CHANCELLOR of Junagadh Agriculture University K B Kikani said, “The artificially ripened kesar will be completely golden and its stalk will be swollen.”
A S Soni, public analyst at municipal public health laboratory, said, “Calcium carbide ripens mangoes in four days, whereas the natural process takes about a fortnight. It is always better to buy unripe mangoes and ripen them at home naturally. Wash the fruits thoroughly before consuming. Keep them under running water for a few minutes to wash away chemicals.” While eating mangoes and apples, cut the fruit into pieces, rather than consuming directly.
Other than mangoes and bananas, vendors artificially ripen chickoo, apples, papayas, guavas, pears and plums, too.
WHY IS CALCIUM CARBIDE DANGEROUS?
1
Calcium carbide is commonly used for welding purposes. On coming in contact with water, it produces acetylene, which acts as a catalyst in the ripening process.
2
The industrial grade of the chemical, which is freely available, contains arsenic and phosphorous. Large doses of calcium carbide can cause headache, dizziness and even cerebral oedema in the long run.
KNOW YOUR MANGO
1
Mangoes should be consumed during season which is May. Earlier than that, there is a chance that the mangoes are artificially ripened
2
Artificially ripened mangoes look smooth and polished. Organic mangoes are wrinkled
3
In artificially ripened mangoes the flesh close to the seed is sour.Whereas in naturally ripened ones, the sweetness is uniform
4
Mangoes have a trace of powder on its skin
5
Artificially ripened mangoes do not smell the same as naturally ripened mangoes
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Dial 104 for not-so-urgent medical needs
DILIP PATEL
The state government is planning to introduce a health service similar to 108. The new 104 telephone line however, will provide information on health and medical facilities available for various diseases and health problems that do not constitute an emergency. The caller can get information on doctors and availability of homoeopathy, ayurvedic and allopathy treatments.
An in-principle decision has been taken by the health department to start the 104 service in view of the plethora of calls the 108 EMRI control room receives for non-emergency health services.
Health department deputy director Dr Sunil Avashia said, “The process to invite tenders has been initiated. Opinions have been sought from service providers and vendors.”
Information on prohibition, drug addiction, family welfare, HIV, vaccines, women and child nutrition too will be facilitated. Dr Avashia said the state government has written to the Centre for permission to use the 104 line for the health service, like in Andhra Pradesh. The southern state too has been using the number to provide information on health-related non-emergency services.
NOT A TOLL-FREE NUMBER
THOUGH A final decision has not been taken, 104 may not be a toll-free line as the health department is considering a revenue model for the service. It is yet to decide whether to charge the caller or the medical practitioner for the service. The line will provide information on vaccines, doctors and treatments
The state government is planning to introduce a health service similar to 108. The new 104 telephone line however, will provide information on health and medical facilities available for various diseases and health problems that do not constitute an emergency. The caller can get information on doctors and availability of homoeopathy, ayurvedic and allopathy treatments.
An in-principle decision has been taken by the health department to start the 104 service in view of the plethora of calls the 108 EMRI control room receives for non-emergency health services.
Health department deputy director Dr Sunil Avashia said, “The process to invite tenders has been initiated. Opinions have been sought from service providers and vendors.”
Information on prohibition, drug addiction, family welfare, HIV, vaccines, women and child nutrition too will be facilitated. Dr Avashia said the state government has written to the Centre for permission to use the 104 line for the health service, like in Andhra Pradesh. The southern state too has been using the number to provide information on health-related non-emergency services.
NOT A TOLL-FREE NUMBER
THOUGH A final decision has not been taken, 104 may not be a toll-free line as the health department is considering a revenue model for the service. It is yet to decide whether to charge the caller or the medical practitioner for the service. The line will provide information on vaccines, doctors and treatments
ahmedabad Commissioner office shifting
CP office address changing
Dilip Patel
Police commissioner’s office address will soon change as soon as the new premises are being surveyed. This will shift to the eastern part of the city when the industry department accepts the proposal of the home ministry.
The four sites that have been finalised include: Rakhial, Bapunagar, Asarva and Saraspur. The department will soon take its decision, says home secretary T S Bisht. He adds, "The current headquarters of the Commissioner of Police (CP) which is near Shahibagh underpass is small which is why we are looking for a new location." He added, "We have decided that one of these sites will finalised for the new office."
The new building will be more than 50 acres of land. The current office covers an area of half square kilometer. The three floor building has very few facilities with no lift. Adjacent to it is the police stadium where the police does their rehearsals and training. But this is not enough for the sessions. The current office is a bungalow which was owned by a Parsi family till 1961. After this, the police department filed a case in the court. They won the case as there were some technical problems in the heirship of the bungalow and they had taken it on rent.
The working atmosphere needed at the international levels require that the police should be residing within the headquarters. The new building will give such residential facilities as well. According to these standards, a training centre will be built, all facilities for parade and police rehearsals will be taken care of in the new building.
The area of work of the commissioner of police is also growing. The Sardar Patel ring road which is also developing will soon come under the jurisdication of the CP. Sarkhej police station which is currently under rural Ahmedabad will also be included in Ahmedabad city which will increas the work area of the commissioner.
Plans are in progress to develop Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation. There are plans to include it under the Ahmedabad city police. But there is not enough population to have another CP in Gandhinagar so that shall also be taken under the jurisdication of the Ahmedabad CP. Ahmedabad will then have two police commissioners just as Mumbai city which has three police commissioners.
Dilip Patel
Police commissioner’s office address will soon change as soon as the new premises are being surveyed. This will shift to the eastern part of the city when the industry department accepts the proposal of the home ministry.
The four sites that have been finalised include: Rakhial, Bapunagar, Asarva and Saraspur. The department will soon take its decision, says home secretary T S Bisht. He adds, "The current headquarters of the Commissioner of Police (CP) which is near Shahibagh underpass is small which is why we are looking for a new location." He added, "We have decided that one of these sites will finalised for the new office."
The new building will be more than 50 acres of land. The current office covers an area of half square kilometer. The three floor building has very few facilities with no lift. Adjacent to it is the police stadium where the police does their rehearsals and training. But this is not enough for the sessions. The current office is a bungalow which was owned by a Parsi family till 1961. After this, the police department filed a case in the court. They won the case as there were some technical problems in the heirship of the bungalow and they had taken it on rent.
The working atmosphere needed at the international levels require that the police should be residing within the headquarters. The new building will give such residential facilities as well. According to these standards, a training centre will be built, all facilities for parade and police rehearsals will be taken care of in the new building.
The area of work of the commissioner of police is also growing. The Sardar Patel ring road which is also developing will soon come under the jurisdication of the CP. Sarkhej police station which is currently under rural Ahmedabad will also be included in Ahmedabad city which will increas the work area of the commissioner.
Plans are in progress to develop Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation. There are plans to include it under the Ahmedabad city police. But there is not enough population to have another CP in Gandhinagar so that shall also be taken under the jurisdication of the Ahmedabad CP. Ahmedabad will then have two police commissioners just as Mumbai city which has three police commissioners.
Monday, April 5, 2010
house sparrows
Dilip Patel
Rapid urbanisation in the state, especially Ahmedabad, has claimed a new victim: house sparrows. The population of house sparrows in the city has plunged by 90 per cent in the past seven years, according to random surveys conducted by the forest department, Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation and bird-watchers.
The steep decline in the species’ numbers has prompted the state government to mandate a detailed scientific study. “The population of sparrows in cities like Ahmedabad has decreased at an alarming rate over the past few years,” Principal Secretary (forest and environment) S K Nanda told Ahmedabad Mirror. “We have asked the GEER Foundation to find out the causes of the species’ disappearance.”
Nanda — who discussed the issue with the director of GEER Foundation, C N Pandey, last week — said that the study’s findings would be used to boost sparrows’ numbers in urban areas.
AM spoke to several eminent bird-watchers and environmentalists, who confirmed that the population of sparrows in Ahmedabad had declined by 90 per cent. Some of them suspect that the electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phone towers are wiping out sparrows, which, until recently, were spotted in droves at most residential colonies.
“I live in Jivraj Park, and I used to spot more than 50 sparrows in my building just a few years ago. However, lately I have not seen more than five,” Lal Singh Raol, who has been studying birds’ behaviour for the past 60 years, said. “The number of sparrows in Ahmedabad has decreased by 95 per cent.”
Raol, who has written books on birds found in Gujarat, said that the impact of radiation from mobile phone towers on sparrows needed to be studied. Raol, 84, has trained several people into bird-watching, and has encouraged formation of several environment clubs.
The director of GEER Foundation said that preliminary observations on the disappearance of sparrows had been made. “We believe that the changing design of residential buildings and an increase in number of cellphone towers have led to the fall in the bird’s population,” Pandey said. “A few years ago, residential buildings used to have slanted roofs, which were ideal nesting sites for sparrows. However, newer buildings have fewer vacant spaces.”
A scientist with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr P S Thakker, too, concurred with Pandey’s observation. “The sealing of windows for installation of air conditioners results in fewer entry points for sparrows to enter a house, and build a nest,” Thakker, also an ardent bird-watcher, said. “Interestingly, I visited Kodadha village near Kutch last week, and saw a large number of sparrows. This is because there were fewer cellphone towers in the region.”
A coordinator of Wetlands International (South Asia), which creates awareness on forest conservation, said that sparrows population had decreased in Ahmedabad in the past eight years. “There are at least 12 lakh residential buildings in Ahmedabad. However, nests of house sparrows exist in only 5 per cent of the buildings,” the coordinator, Bharat Jethva, said.
Under-Secretary of the forest department, Uday Vora, said that a large number of house sparrows could be found in areas on the outskirts of major cities. “Population of sparrows thrives in regions where there are fewer mobile phone towers,” he said.
A scientist associated with the Anand Agricultural University (AAU), Bhavabhuti Parasiya, concurred with Vora’s observation. “I visited Kutch, and I saw thousands of sparrows,” he said.
Rapid urbanisation in the state, especially Ahmedabad, has claimed a new victim: house sparrows. The population of house sparrows in the city has plunged by 90 per cent in the past seven years, according to random surveys conducted by the forest department, Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation and bird-watchers.
The steep decline in the species’ numbers has prompted the state government to mandate a detailed scientific study. “The population of sparrows in cities like Ahmedabad has decreased at an alarming rate over the past few years,” Principal Secretary (forest and environment) S K Nanda told Ahmedabad Mirror. “We have asked the GEER Foundation to find out the causes of the species’ disappearance.”
Nanda — who discussed the issue with the director of GEER Foundation, C N Pandey, last week — said that the study’s findings would be used to boost sparrows’ numbers in urban areas.
AM spoke to several eminent bird-watchers and environmentalists, who confirmed that the population of sparrows in Ahmedabad had declined by 90 per cent. Some of them suspect that the electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phone towers are wiping out sparrows, which, until recently, were spotted in droves at most residential colonies.
“I live in Jivraj Park, and I used to spot more than 50 sparrows in my building just a few years ago. However, lately I have not seen more than five,” Lal Singh Raol, who has been studying birds’ behaviour for the past 60 years, said. “The number of sparrows in Ahmedabad has decreased by 95 per cent.”
Raol, who has written books on birds found in Gujarat, said that the impact of radiation from mobile phone towers on sparrows needed to be studied. Raol, 84, has trained several people into bird-watching, and has encouraged formation of several environment clubs.
The director of GEER Foundation said that preliminary observations on the disappearance of sparrows had been made. “We believe that the changing design of residential buildings and an increase in number of cellphone towers have led to the fall in the bird’s population,” Pandey said. “A few years ago, residential buildings used to have slanted roofs, which were ideal nesting sites for sparrows. However, newer buildings have fewer vacant spaces.”
A scientist with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr P S Thakker, too, concurred with Pandey’s observation. “The sealing of windows for installation of air conditioners results in fewer entry points for sparrows to enter a house, and build a nest,” Thakker, also an ardent bird-watcher, said. “Interestingly, I visited Kodadha village near Kutch last week, and saw a large number of sparrows. This is because there were fewer cellphone towers in the region.”
A coordinator of Wetlands International (South Asia), which creates awareness on forest conservation, said that sparrows population had decreased in Ahmedabad in the past eight years. “There are at least 12 lakh residential buildings in Ahmedabad. However, nests of house sparrows exist in only 5 per cent of the buildings,” the coordinator, Bharat Jethva, said.
Under-Secretary of the forest department, Uday Vora, said that a large number of house sparrows could be found in areas on the outskirts of major cities. “Population of sparrows thrives in regions where there are fewer mobile phone towers,” he said.
A scientist associated with the Anand Agricultural University (AAU), Bhavabhuti Parasiya, concurred with Vora’s observation. “I visited Kutch, and I saw thousands of sparrows,” he said.
LION COUNT IN GUJARAT
FOREST OFFICIALS TO RELY ON BODY MARKS TO IDENTIFY CATS
Volunteers of the census, beginning April 24, will be given a sketch of lion to note down different characteristics of the animal, including whisker patterns
DILIP PATEL
More than 1,000 volunteers and forest officials will carry out the lion census in Gir from April 24 to 28. Apart from pairs of binoculars and digital cameras, participants of the census will be given a sketch of lion to note down various characteristics, including injury marks, of the wild cat.
Interestingly, whiskers and pattern of whisker spots on a lion’s upper lip will be the key identification marks. This is because lions, unlike tigers, do not have noticeable body patterns, making it difficult for animal-spotters to distinguish them.
Whiskers and pattern of their holes differ from lion to lion. Together, they act as a fingerprint of sorts of lions. Apart from them, marks on ears, face and body will be other parameters for identification.
“We will start the lion count in the last week of April when there’s a full moon,” the chief conservator of forest, Ravi Asari, told Mirror.
“We have taught volunteers of this exercise how to note down different characteristics of a lion on a sketch given to them. Whisker spots are a key identification mark of the wild cat. Experts can easily distinguish one lion from other another by looking at them.”
A former wildlife warden, G A Patel, who was part of two lion counts, said that making a note of whisker spot patterns on a lion’s upper lip was an apt way to identify the animal.
“A database of such characteristics can help forest officials identify lions even when they move out of their territory,” he said. Uday Vora, who is the deputy conservator of forest, said that volunteers who would conduct the census had been trained well. He recently returned from Gir after training them.
Volunteers of the census, beginning April 24, will be given a sketch of lion to note down different characteristics of the animal, including whisker patterns
DILIP PATEL
More than 1,000 volunteers and forest officials will carry out the lion census in Gir from April 24 to 28. Apart from pairs of binoculars and digital cameras, participants of the census will be given a sketch of lion to note down various characteristics, including injury marks, of the wild cat.
Interestingly, whiskers and pattern of whisker spots on a lion’s upper lip will be the key identification marks. This is because lions, unlike tigers, do not have noticeable body patterns, making it difficult for animal-spotters to distinguish them.
Whiskers and pattern of their holes differ from lion to lion. Together, they act as a fingerprint of sorts of lions. Apart from them, marks on ears, face and body will be other parameters for identification.
“We will start the lion count in the last week of April when there’s a full moon,” the chief conservator of forest, Ravi Asari, told Mirror.
“We have taught volunteers of this exercise how to note down different characteristics of a lion on a sketch given to them. Whisker spots are a key identification mark of the wild cat. Experts can easily distinguish one lion from other another by looking at them.”
A former wildlife warden, G A Patel, who was part of two lion counts, said that making a note of whisker spot patterns on a lion’s upper lip was an apt way to identify the animal.
“A database of such characteristics can help forest officials identify lions even when they move out of their territory,” he said. Uday Vora, who is the deputy conservator of forest, said that volunteers who would conduct the census had been trained well. He recently returned from Gir after training them.
When will Gujarat have Vahan and Sarathi?
State is yet to launch the software, reportedly used across the country, to computerise workflow at RTO
DILIP PATEL
Gujarat is undoubtedly a frontrunner in investing money and utilising its resources for citizen-centric e-governance. However, it has failed to put in use important software — Vahan and Sarathi — developed by National Informatics Centre to computerise workflow at the Regional Transport Office (RTO).
The software, reportedly used by all RTOs across the country, is crucial as it maintains a database of citizens who have been issued driving licences and also keeps a record of registered vehicles in the state.
The Centre had issued a notification in 2002, directing all states and Union territories to introduce the software with a view to prepare a national database of citizens. Eight years on, Gujarat still lags behind in implementing the Center’s notification, said a source in the RTO.
“To launch the software, we need to introduce changes in our smart cards. We will have to first enhance the storage capacity of smart cards from 1.5 kb to 4 kb. Bharat Electrical (BHEL) will manufacture the required smart cards for RTO. We are planning to introduce the software across the state at the earliest,” said AB Gor, Deputy Director of Transport.
“The software is important from security point of view as it keeps citizens’ record. With terror perception looming large over the country, the database, prepared by the software, can be a crucial source of information. The system was implemented on pilot basis by Ahmedabad RTO but the officials only applied two modules of the software,” said the source.
VAHAN AND SARATHI
Vahan and Sarathi are application software for the use of Regional Transport Offices.While Vahan is for processing all transactions related to vehicles, Sarathi is for processing driving licence and related activities. Vahan is used to issue registration certificate, fitness certificate and permits. Sarathi is used to issues a learner’s licence, permanent driving licence and conductor licence to the applicant.
DILIP PATEL
Gujarat is undoubtedly a frontrunner in investing money and utilising its resources for citizen-centric e-governance. However, it has failed to put in use important software — Vahan and Sarathi — developed by National Informatics Centre to computerise workflow at the Regional Transport Office (RTO).
The software, reportedly used by all RTOs across the country, is crucial as it maintains a database of citizens who have been issued driving licences and also keeps a record of registered vehicles in the state.
The Centre had issued a notification in 2002, directing all states and Union territories to introduce the software with a view to prepare a national database of citizens. Eight years on, Gujarat still lags behind in implementing the Center’s notification, said a source in the RTO.
“To launch the software, we need to introduce changes in our smart cards. We will have to first enhance the storage capacity of smart cards from 1.5 kb to 4 kb. Bharat Electrical (BHEL) will manufacture the required smart cards for RTO. We are planning to introduce the software across the state at the earliest,” said AB Gor, Deputy Director of Transport.
“The software is important from security point of view as it keeps citizens’ record. With terror perception looming large over the country, the database, prepared by the software, can be a crucial source of information. The system was implemented on pilot basis by Ahmedabad RTO but the officials only applied two modules of the software,” said the source.
VAHAN AND SARATHI
Vahan and Sarathi are application software for the use of Regional Transport Offices.While Vahan is for processing all transactions related to vehicles, Sarathi is for processing driving licence and related activities. Vahan is used to issue registration certificate, fitness certificate and permits. Sarathi is used to issues a learner’s licence, permanent driving licence and conductor licence to the applicant.
Work on Narmada dam radial gates to take 3 more years
With this the work on completing the network of irrigation canals and field channels will begin
DILIP PATEL
Environmental clearance in, work on installing the 30 radial gates on the Sardar Sarovar dam is expected to begin in a month. The work, requiring Rs 300 crores will take nearly three years to complete. Till now, Rs 19,091.47 crore have been spent on Sardar Sarovar, which after completion will stand at 138.68 metres. A majority of the additional Rs 15,000 crore will be spent on irrigation canals.
Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) officials say that the dam will be ready with its full capacity by 2014 and that work on main and micro canals will complete in concurrence with installation of the gates, each made of 30,000 metric tonnes of steel.
At a meeting of the Narmada Control Authority’s (NCA) environmental sub-group held on April 1, it was decided that looking at the noncooperation from farmers, SSNNL will construct field channels.
The meeting also permitted construction of spillway piers to its full height and bridge and installation of gates. The construction will begin after go-ahead from the relief and rehabilitation sub group and NCA, according to SSNNL director S Jagdishan. The construction period would be three years during which all the remaining works related to environment and relief and rehabilitation aspects, upto full reservoir level (FRL) of 138.68 metres would be completed.
The next move will be to seek permission from the NCA to fill up the reservoir, by closing its gates, upto its FRL.
The SSNNL also decided that every district which is to get Narmada water supply will have a committee to decide where micro canals and field channels will come up.
The panel will have elected members, representatives of NGOs and district officials.The panels which will explain benefits of the project to the farmers are being looked as bridged between Narmada authorities and farmers. Authorities have faced a non-cooperation from farmers on several fronts.
According to sources, work on six lakh hectares irrigation area is under progress. By month-end 3.41 lakh hectares will be covered, they said, adding that SSNNL will require Rs 5,000 crore every year if the work is to be completed by 2014.
To expedite the work in developing the command area, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode of contracting has been employed. Eight EPC packages, estimated at a total of Rs 3,000 crore, have been designed to complete the 360-km Kutch branch canal with its distribution network upto minors.
NARMADA NUANCES
Thirty radial gates will be installed at the dam which now stands at 121.92 m. Each steel gate weighs 30,000 metric tonnes and is as high as a six-storeyed building. The radial gates were built in 1995 After reaching the full reservoir level, the dam will store 4.67 million acre feet water
DILIP PATEL
Environmental clearance in, work on installing the 30 radial gates on the Sardar Sarovar dam is expected to begin in a month. The work, requiring Rs 300 crores will take nearly three years to complete. Till now, Rs 19,091.47 crore have been spent on Sardar Sarovar, which after completion will stand at 138.68 metres. A majority of the additional Rs 15,000 crore will be spent on irrigation canals.
Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) officials say that the dam will be ready with its full capacity by 2014 and that work on main and micro canals will complete in concurrence with installation of the gates, each made of 30,000 metric tonnes of steel.
At a meeting of the Narmada Control Authority’s (NCA) environmental sub-group held on April 1, it was decided that looking at the noncooperation from farmers, SSNNL will construct field channels.
The meeting also permitted construction of spillway piers to its full height and bridge and installation of gates. The construction will begin after go-ahead from the relief and rehabilitation sub group and NCA, according to SSNNL director S Jagdishan. The construction period would be three years during which all the remaining works related to environment and relief and rehabilitation aspects, upto full reservoir level (FRL) of 138.68 metres would be completed.
The next move will be to seek permission from the NCA to fill up the reservoir, by closing its gates, upto its FRL.
The SSNNL also decided that every district which is to get Narmada water supply will have a committee to decide where micro canals and field channels will come up.
The panel will have elected members, representatives of NGOs and district officials.The panels which will explain benefits of the project to the farmers are being looked as bridged between Narmada authorities and farmers. Authorities have faced a non-cooperation from farmers on several fronts.
According to sources, work on six lakh hectares irrigation area is under progress. By month-end 3.41 lakh hectares will be covered, they said, adding that SSNNL will require Rs 5,000 crore every year if the work is to be completed by 2014.
To expedite the work in developing the command area, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode of contracting has been employed. Eight EPC packages, estimated at a total of Rs 3,000 crore, have been designed to complete the 360-km Kutch branch canal with its distribution network upto minors.
NARMADA NUANCES
Thirty radial gates will be installed at the dam which now stands at 121.92 m. Each steel gate weighs 30,000 metric tonnes and is as high as a six-storeyed building. The radial gates were built in 1995 After reaching the full reservoir level, the dam will store 4.67 million acre feet water
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