Survey on for 1500-km-long canal on Sharda river

Jaisalmer, Nov 1 (UNI) The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has started surveying for the second phase of a proposed 1500-km-long canal project to be developed over the Sharda river to utilise the flood waters.

The canal project, undertaken by National Water Development Agency, will pass through Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and will end at the Sabarmati river in Gujarat.

It is expected to be completed by the year 2022.

The canal will provide drinking water to Haryana and Delhi. It will also help irrigate fields sourced by Indira Gandhi Canal Project in Rajasthan and will provide water to Narmada canal in Gujarat.

Dr R S Goyal, deputy director, GSI (Western Zone) who is on a tour here, said the project would be completed in three phases.

The first phase would be the Sharda-Yamuna link, the second phase would include Yamuna Rajasthan link and the last phase would see the completion of Rajasthan-Sabarmati link.

In the first phase, the canal would start from the Sharda river and will end in Panipat. In the second phase, it would start from Yamuna and pass through Churu, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Ramdevra, Pokran and Barmer districts.

In the third and final phase, the Rajasthan-Sabarmati link will see the canal pass through Barmer, Gujarat and will end at the Sabarmati river.

In Rajasthan, the canal will be built at least 50 km away from Indira Gandhi Canal Project to prevent any damage in case of floods.

Mr Goyal said the new canal would be able to store at least eight thousand million cubic water every year and Rajasthan will have five thousand million cubic water to irrigate fields.

UNI XC SK KP0954