Damodar Valley Multipurpose Project
The Damodar once ‘a river of sorrow’ because of its great floods in West Bengal rise from the Khamarpat hills in Chhota Nagpur plateau of Bihar. To prevent floods, to supply hydro-electric power to Bihar and West Bengal, to have a canal for navigation and to supply water for irrigation, the Damodar Valley Multipurpose Project scheme was conceived.
Damodar Valley Corporation (D.V.C.) is the first river valley project in India. The main aims and objects of Damodar Valley Multipurpose project are :
- Flood control,
- Provides with irrigation facility,
- Generation, transmission and distribution of hydel power,
- Promotion and control of navigation,
- Promotion of afforestation,
- Controlling of soil erosion,
- Promotion of agriculture, industrial and general development of the valley and its area of operation.
The Damodar Valley Multipurpose project was been completed in two phases.
First phase of Damodar Valley Multipurpose river Project
The first phase of Damodar valley multipurpose programme comprised of :
- 4 river dams at Konal, Tilaiya, Panchet hill and Maithon. Along with each dams, a hydel power station was attached.
- 3 thermal power station at each at Durgapur, Bokaro, and Chandrapura with a maximum capacity of 9, 57,000 kw.
- A grid covering over 1,280 km. transmission lines and number of substations and receiving station.
- An irrigation barrage at Durgapur with about 2500 kw. of irrigation-cum navigation channels.
The Tilaiya dam is 30 m high and 366 m long. It has a storage capacity of 397.7 mil.cu.m. Two power units with 200 kw. each have been constructed.
The Konar dam is 49 m high and 5,546 m long and gross storage capacity of 337 m. cu.m. has been constructed.
The Maithon dam is on the river Barakar. It is 94 m high and 144 m long and has a storage capacity of 1,357 mil.cu.m. It’s three units of 20,000 kw. power unit have been constructed.
The Panchet Hill dam has been completed 1959 across the river Damodar. It is 45 m. high and 2545 m. long. It has a storage capacity of 1497 m.cu. Its one unit of 40,000 kw has been constructed.
Durgapur Barrage was completed 1955. It is a concrete dam, 12m high and 672 m. long. The irrigation facility of 4.75 lakhs hectares is provided by this project.
Second Phase of Damodar Valley multipurpose Project
In the 2nd phase of Damodar Valley Project, the aims were envisaged for four dams at Belpahari, Bokaro, and Bermo together with hydro-electric stations.
Conclusion
In Bokaro, Durgapur, Chandrapura thermal power stations have been constructed. The DVC has an installed capacity of 1181 mw. All the object of multi-purpose river valley project has been derived from the project and it beneficial to the state of Bihar and West Bengal.
River Basins can be used for different purposes 0f irrigation, flood control, afforestation and soil conservation, navigation, power generation, etc. The schemes that are undertaken for these purposes are known as multi-purpose scheme.