Narwa Development programme.
Raipur: Water recharging is the biggest challenge in the current times of climate change and global warming. As a part of an initiative to conserve water sources and increase water levels, the Chhattisgarh Government is committed to the work of conserving water by undertaking the treatment of streams. The government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, is undertaking the treatment of streams as a part of the Narwa program under the Suraji Gaon Yojana. More than 13 thousand streams in Chhattisgarh have been treated for water recharging and positive results have been obtained. Forest Minister Mohammad Akbar has said that the Narwa Development Program has proven to be significant for forest areas as it is improving the groundwater level, irrigation area, and the state of biodiversity. It has also reduced the number of incidents of wild animals coming out of forests to populated areas.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests V Srinivas Rao said that under the Narwa program, a detailed study of land is conducted. Thereafter, the treatment of streams is carried out. Today, the water level in many districts of the state has increased from 7 cm. to 30 cm. Because of the treatment of streams as per the Narwa scheme.
A significant improvement in the groundwater level of forest areas has been seen on account of the treatment of selected streams under the Dhamtari Forest Board as per the Narwa Development program. Forest dwellers can easily access sufficient water for everyday activities like drinking and disposal. They are benefitting immensely from the initiative. Apart from boosting forest conservation works, the increase in water level in forest regions is also resulting in the increase in the number of perennial streams for the use of wild animals in forests. As a result, there has been a significant decline in the number of incidents of wild animals escaping from forest zones into populated areas.
The D.F.O. of Dhamtari Forest Board Mayank Pandey said that under the CAMPA Fund of Forest Board and the Narwa Development Program, 2270 structures have been built on 9669.000 hectares of land in 7 streams in the year 2019-20, 15596 structures have been built on 8263.000 hectares of land in 7 streams in 2020-21, 13641 structures on 1977 hectares of land in 4 streams in 2021-22, 34688 structures on 4810.000 hectares of land in 6 streams in 2022-23 have been built, making a total of 66195 structures in 24719.000 hectares of land in 24 streams. The rest of the structures are under construction. So far, the constructed structures include stop dam, Gabian structure, Brush Wood Check Dam, Loose Boulder Check Dam, Dike, Dabri, 30×40 model, W.A.T., Contour Trench, Earthen Dam, E.G.P., percolation tank, EPG, ECB, etc.
Moreover, for the accessibility of people living in forest areas under Dhamtari Forest Board, 11.40 Km W.B.M. road and 8 ramps and culverts in the A.P.O. year 2018-19, 25.50 Km W.B.M. road and 6 ramps and culverts in the A.P.O. year 2019-20, 6 Km. W.B.M. road in the A.P.O. year 2020-21, 23.70 Km. W.B.M. Road and 31 ramps and culverts in the A.P.O. year 2021-22 have been constructed. In this way, a total of 63.30 Km W.B.M. Roads and 45 ramps and culverts have been constructed.