Pune: Green Thumbs Khadakwasla dam desilting model emerges as role model for water augmentation and holding capacity of dams
Pune, 9th April 2022: Pune headquarted Green Thumb Foundation, a Non Profit Organisation (NPO) through its expertise of a large number of ex-servicemen, is taking painstaking efforts to augment the water holding capacity of Khadakwasla Dam by removing silt accumulated over last 140 years. According to its President Lt Col ( retd ) Suresh Patil, as many as 100 trucks of silt is being extracted with the help of JCB machines and being transported to the farmers free of cost to be utilized to increase their yield. The current special desilting drive began from March and will end in June.Since 2012, the former armymen have removed 25 lakh truck load of silt from the dam catchment area, a record of sorts for any non governmental agency.
Lt Col (retd) Patil said, “Our primary aim is restoration and protection of biodiversity and Khadakwasla project is aimed making India one of the most water literate and water holding capacity nation in the world. Currently, our workforce of Ex-servicemen are working round the clock in augmenting the water holding capacity of the dam by removing 100 trucks of silt on a daily basis. This project has been undertaken through people’s participation has emerged as a role model in the country to mitigate crisis related to water shortage not only in Maharashtra but across the country.”
The project benefits which have emerged over the last two decades of desilting work has led to the conclusion that due to de-silting the water collection capacity of the lake has increased cost effectively, the desilted quality soil is a good manure and is being distributed free of cost to the farmers to be used in their fields to increase their crops, fruits and vegetable yield. Besides, the organization is taking active steps to prevent measures to arrest soil erosion in the catchment area life.
