Role of Stop Dam in Economic and Eco-development - a Case Study

This paper presents the case study about economxy and ecological sustainability of stop dams constructed in Noradehi (Wildlife) Forest Division, Sagar. This Wildlife Division includes 1197 km² of geographical area and it includes the ports of Sagar, Damoh and Narsingpur Districts of Madhya Pradesh. Under eco-development approach stop dams were constructed to solve the minor irrigation problem of villagers. The native rural population of the area are very poor and mainly depend on agriculture for their livelyhood. All the stop dams in the study are masonry structures of 2m height. The benefit/cost ratio (B/C) of stop dams have been evaluated. The benefit was calculated by deducting the value of produce before the construction from the value of produce after the construction of dam. The study revealed that these dams are economically viable as they give their cost recovery as quickly as in one year time. These dams are ecologically sustainable as these dams do not create adverse effects on environment viz. submergence of forest land, loss of flora and fauna, risk of reservoir induced seismicity, problem of rehabilitation, problem of change in micro-climate etc. Thus these dams prove to be very promising and will have tremendous scope for betterment of socio-economic rural upliftment.