Raipur, 30 June 2021. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has given instructions to build dikewalls at suitable places in sandy rivers and streams to increase the ground water level in the state. He said that this is the cheapest and most effective way to raise the ground water level. Due to the construction of earthen dike wall in the sandy banks of the rivers and streams, sufficient amount of water is stored in the inner surface of the river, due to which the water of hand pumps, tube wells and wells in the villages situated on the banks of such rivers and streams even during the summer days. The level remains and the ground water level of that area also rises. The Chief Minister has directed the officers of Panchayat and Rural Development, Water Resources and Forest Departments to identify such rivers and streams and prepare an action plan for construction of dikewalls at suitable places.
Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel was addressing a meeting of senior officers of Water Resources, Forest and Panchayat and Rural Development Department at his residence office here today. Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Shri Ravindra Choubey, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Shri Jaisingh Agarwal, Chief Secretary Shri Amitabh Jain, Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Shri Subrata Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development Smt. Renu Ji Pillay, Principal Secretary Forest Shri Manoj Pingua, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Shri Rakesh Chaturvedi, Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development Shri Prasanna R, Secretary Water Resources Shri Avinash Champawat, Secretary to Chief Minister Shri Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi were present.
The Chief Minister said in the meeting that the ground water level can be improved by constructing dikewalls in the sandy stretches of rivers and streams at low cost. He said that while constructing the dike wall in the river and nallah, it should be kept in mind that its height should be at least one feet less than the surface part of the river and nallah, it will not harm the dike wall. He said that there are many such stopdams, diversions built on rivers and streams, where there is no stagnation of water, construction of dikewalls would be beneficial and the problem of desilting is also less.
What is Dikewall:- A dikewall is a structure that is constructed below the surface in the sandy part of the river and stream. In this, a canal structure of about 5-6 feet wide and 9-10 feet deep is made in the banks of rivers and streams. Then a polythene sheet is laid in it. In this canal-like structure, earthen lumps are filled, due to which an underground wall-like structure is formed from one bank of the river to the other. It is completely covered with a plastic sheet and sand is filled on its upper part. This structure is not visible in the river bed. Its height is one foot below the surface of the river, so that this structure is not damaged by the flow of water. Due to the construction of dikewall, the seepage of water from the inner part of the river will be stopped, which increases the ground water level. Moisture and greenery remain in the surrounding fields. Due to the persistence of moisture in the soil, less water is used for irrigation of Zayed and Rabi crops.
