Bhopal, May 10: A historic MoU was signed between the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra on Saturday for the ‘Tapti Basin Mega Recharge Project’, one of the world’s largest groundwater recharge projects. This MoU was signed at Kushabhau Thackeray International Convention Center in the capital Bhopal in the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
This MoU was signed in the 28th meeting of the MP-Maharashtra Interstate Control Board. The agreement between the two states regarding the Tapti Basin Project is being considered a milestone in the field of groundwater conservation and rainwater harvesting. This project reflects the shared commitment of the two states towards water management.
Both states will get big benefit: Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said during the MP-Maharashtra agreement on the Tapti Basin project that the board meeting of both the states has been held after 25 years. The last meeting was held in the year 2000. He said that water agreements between the states have started again only after the arrival of the Modi government, due to which not only the projects moved forward, but efforts to deal with the water crisis also intensified.
He said that both Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra will get big benefit from the Tapti Basin project. He told that clean drinking water will now be available in three districts of Maharashtra including Akola, Amravati where there is saline water.
Chief Minister Fadnavis said that now the Chief Ministers of both the states will request special cooperation from the Central Government on the lines of ‘focused plan’ for this project. Along with signing the MoU on the Tapti Basin project, some other important issues were also discussed in the meeting. Talks on the Jamghat project began in 1998 and now after many years, the project has been discussed again. The next meeting of the water boards of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra is proposed in October. He said that in the coming time, development will be accelerated by working in coordination in various fields.
Tapti project will become the lifeline of Nimar: Chief Minister Dr Yadav
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that with the Tapti Basin project, a new chapter is beginning between the two states. Madhya Pradesh is the motherland of rivers. 247 rivers flow here and now work will be done together on projects related to Godavari and Tapti.
He expressed confidence that just as the central government helped in the Ken-Betwa and Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link projects, similarly this project will also get support from the Center.
He said that this project will provide relief from the drinking water crisis in areas like Khandwa and Burhanpur and this project will prove to be a lifeline for Nimar.
He also said that a religious circuit will be created by connecting the major Jyotirlingas of both the states – Omkareshwar, Mahakaleshwar (MP) and Trimbakeshwar, Bhimashankar, Ghrishneshwar (Maharashtra). Apart from this, there is also agreement on developing a corridor.
Dr Yadav said that discussions will be held with the central government to declare the Tapti Basin Mega Recharge Scheme as a national water project. 31.13 TMC water will be used in the Tapti Basin Mega Recharge Scheme. Out of this, 11.76 TMC will go to Madhya Pradesh and 19.36 TMC water will come to Maharashtra state. A total of 3 thousand 362 hectares of land in Madhya Pradesh will be used through the proposed dams and canals in this project. No village will be affected under the project. There will also be no need for rehabilitation in this.
