Gandhinagar/Bhavnagar, March 12: The Gujarat government has granted administrative approval of ₹285 crore for the long-standing Methala dam project in the Bhavnagar district, a scheme expected to provide irrigation to about 6,550 hectares of land across 10 villages while also helping to control salinity intrusion in the coastal region.
Water Resources Minister Ishwarsinh Patel said that the approval had been given for the Methala dam scheme in the Talaja taluka and described the project as important for addressing salinity in the area.
"The long-standing Methala dam scheme is very important for salinity control in this region," he said.
Patel said that the project would enable the storage of an estimated 655 million cubic feet of rainwater, which would provide irrigation facilities to around 6,550 hectares of farmland across 10 villages.
He also said that the scheme would help recharge groundwater and raise water levels in wells and borewells in the surrounding areas.
"The dam will also help to prevent seawater from advancing further inland, which will prevent the increase in salinity in the region. This project will prove to be a blessing for farmers in the area," the minister said.
He added that the project is expected to be completed in about two years after the tendering process is finalized.
Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia said that the government had found a solution to the long-standing issue related to the project, which involved forest land.
"The Methala dam is planned on the Bagad river near Methala village in the Talaja taluka of Bhavnagar district, where 598.2427 hectares of forest land would be submerged, and as part of the approval process, an equivalent area of non-forest land at Monpur village in the Vallabhipur taluka has been allocated to the Forest Department in exchange," Modhwadia said.
He said that the land provided to the Forest Department is located near the Blackbuck National Park in Velavadar, which could make it useful as a habitat area for blackbucks and other wildlife species.
The minister added that the central government had granted in-principle approval for the project on March 15, 2024, as part of the required forest clearance process.
Modhwadia said that the state government's decision would benefit farmers and residents of the surrounding villages once the project becomes operational.
