Indore: Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) will soon place a proposal before state government wherein it will project Tinchha Falls as city’s alternative water source. At present, city mainly depends on Narmada river for water supply. “Urban development minister Jaivardhan Singh has sought a proposal from us on alternative water supply system. We already have a detailed survey report on alternative water supply, which will be placed before him,” said Indore Municipal Corporation water works incharge Balram Verma.
The civic body undertook physical survey and found that Tinchha Falls and Karnar river can provide 1,630 MLD water to the city, which is four times of existing supply. During his visit to city last month, Singh had said that city can’t bank only on Narmada for water and asked IMC to find out alternative supply system. “Though Narmada is quenching city’s thirst for decades, the cost of its water is very high and it will not be easy for IMC to bear such a heavy cost for long. So, we have found alternative sources including Tinchha Falls, Shitalamata Falls and Gambhir river upstream for drawing water at comparatively cheaper rates,” Verma said.
He said Narmada river water supplied to the city is costliest in country. “It costs Rs 30 per 1,000 litres. We can’t continue to supply such costly water to the city for long so we have found some other sources from where drawing of water will be cheaper,” he said. The city requires about 450 MLD water. Through Narmada phases one, two and three, 450 MLD water is supplied to the city. Tinchha Falls, Shitalamata Falls and Gambhir river upstream combined can supply total 1,947 MLD water to the city, the survey found. The capacity of Tinchha Falls is 1630 MLD, Sitalamat Falls is 311 MLD and Gambhir river upstream is 6 MLD. “Tinchha Falls alone can supply four times more water to what the city consumes currently,” Verma said.
To supply water from these water bodies to the city, IMC will have to construct dams. Three dams would be required at Tinchha Falls, two at Shitalamata Falls and one at Gambhir upstream. Verma has submitted the survey report to mayor Malini Gaud who said its feasibility will be checked.
DROP BY DROP
In a survey it was found that the falls and Karnar river put together can provide 1,630 MLD water to the city, which is four times of existing supply Narmada water, which is being supplied to the city is costliest in country. It costs about Rs 30 per 1,000 litres The city requires about 450 MLD water. Through Narmada phases one, two and three, 450 MLD water is supplied to the city. Tinchha falls, Shitalamata falls and Gambhir river upstream combined can supply total 1,947 MLD water to the city, the survey found
Why cost of Tinchha Falls water will be cheaper?
The purified Narmada water is pumped up to a height of 534 metres in five stages and travels more than 80 kilometres from Jalud station to reach Indore. It costs Rs 30 per 1,000 litres to collect, purify and transport drinking water to your home. Rs 150 crore is spent on electricity bill and maintenance works every year for transporting water to houses from Narmada and Rs 30 crore on power bill for drawing water from tubewell.
If Tinchha Falls will be the source, water has to be pumped up to 50-metre height and will reach houses by covering a distance of merely 30 kilometres. Total Rs 30 crore will be spent on electricity bill and maintenance works every year for transporting water from Tinchha Falls. That means that the cost of water will be merely Rs 7 to Rs 8 per 1000 litres. Verma said as per rough estimate, Rs 1500 crore would be required to set up new water supply network. The cost could be recovered in just 10 years by saving Rs 150 crore on electricity bill.
