Rationale of the Project

The Upper Kolab and Upper Indravati river valley projects have ample potential for power generation and irrigation. However, the high percentage of wastelands, inappropriate use of cropped area and accelerated rate of forest degradation in the catchments of these two river valley projects have made these reservoirs highly vulnerable to siltation. Besides, the higher gradient of major portion of catchments and lack of adequate vegetation cover also adds to the problem particularly during monsoon months. The uneven distributions of rainfalls in these catchments lead to floods, droughts and prolonged dry spells. The combined effect of these factors is apprehended to reduce the life of these two projects considerably. This calls for implementation of a holistic catchment treatment plan to ensure longevity of these two projects