IMPACT ANALYSIS OF WATER COURSE LINING IN SONE COMMAND: A CASE STUDY OF MURKA DISTRIBUTARY

Abstract

India is an agrarian country. The livelihood of almost seventy percent of its population depends directly on agriculture or agro-industry. To fulfil our need of food, it is necessary to increase the yield of the crops. Irrigation plays an important role in increasing the food production. Water is a precious commodity for human, animal and plant, therefore loss of water should be prevented. It is observed that in major irrigation system about 45 percent of water is lost in seepage and percolation during conveyance from earthen channels. A major portion about 20 percent of this is lost in water course only. The conveyance loss can be minimise by lining the water courses. Sone Irrigation Project, a run of the river scheme having a barrage (weir in past ) on river Sone near Dehri on Sone in Rohtas district of Bihar state is about one and half century old. It provides irrigation to eight districts of Bihar state. Its G.C.A.is 8.66 Iakhs ha & C.C.A. is 6.15 lakhs ha. For the development of command area of Sone Irrigation Project, Sone Command Area Development Agency was set up in 1973. Besides other activity, lining of water courses was started in 1982-83 by Sone Command Area Development Agency and is still continuing. The water courses selected for the study. were lined by Sone Command Area Development Agency during 1987-88......