Good News for Farmers: Abundant Water from Rajasthan's Bandi-Sindhara Dam After 10 Years

Bandi Sindhara Dam: Good news for farmers in the command area of the Bandi-Sindhara Dam.

Good news for the farmers in the command area of the Bandi-Sindhara dam. With the dam overflowing in the upcoming monsoon, farmers in the command area will be able to get sufficient water for irrigation. The 17-kilometre main canal of the dam is being repaired at a cost of ₹8.78 crore. The repair work on the main canal is about 85% complete.

Additionally, 5 box siphons have been constructed in the canal. Furthermore, 10 cross-drainages (for the flow of rainwater streams) and one aqueduct (where pipes are laid over a stream) are also being built to ensure adequate water flow.

In this context, it is expected that once the dam is full in the coming times, farmers in the command area of Jalore district will be able to get sufficient water for irrigation. In fact, this dam with a capacity of 1013 MCFT was built in 2003. There is a 17 km main canal from the dam to Somta village. Due to improper levelling of the main canal and leakage in siphons at various places, farmers were not receiving adequate water. Moreover, the main canal was also damaged during floods in 2015-17.

Canal and Siphon Broken by Flood

During the floods in 2015-17, the main canal, minors, and sub-minors of the Bandi-Sindhara dam were broken. Consequently, even after sufficient water inflow into the dam in 2024, farmers could not get water for irrigation. The water from the dam was released into the river.

Irrigation from the Dam Covers 6019 Hectares

The Bandi-Sindhara dam is the largest dam in the district. In the command area of the dam, water is provided to farmers in the villages of Thoor, Bharudi, Mudratasili, Somta, Tavav, and Jodwara during the Rabi season. When there is sufficient water inflow into the dam, irrigation is carried out over 6,921 hectares through the canals. The work for the repair of the canals began in 2023, and 85% of the work has been completed so far.

Irrigation is Possible with Water Availability

Farmers in the villages of Tavav, Mudratasili, Somta, and Jodwara are facing water problems for irrigation. The groundwater level in these villages is deepening day by day. Additionally, the high salinity in the water causes the land to become alkaline. In such a situation, water from the dam provides good irrigation at a low cost for the farmers.

85% of the Work is Completed

The renovation work of the 17 km main canal of the dam is underway. Approximately 85% of the work has been completed. The remaining work will also be finished within the next two months. Proposals have been sent for the renovation of 8 minors and sub-minors.
- Shyam Singh, Assistant Engineer, Bandi-Sindhara Dam-Bhinmal