One of India’s largest and most sustainable cement makers, Ambuja Cements has reportedly inaugurated a check dam recently across the Kalnoi River, Murshidabad in West Bengal. The cement maker had built the dam in order to ensure water availability for multi-purpose use and to enhance the life of the people in the region. Here is a brief report by SURFACES REPORTER (SR).
Located near the ash pond of Ambuja Cements’ manufacturing unit in Kalaidanga, the check dam that is built across River Kalnoi in West Bengal is expected to supply water to nearly six villages for the next 75 years and provide drinking water to 10,000 households. The water from this dam can be used for multi-cropping of nearly 150 hectare, thereby making the land more cultivable.
The water problem in the region and around had been severe. The newly introduced check dam is expected to solve the water crisis in the region. Earlier, farmers did not get adequate water for irrigation and there was always a severe shortage of drinking water as well. Upon learning these problems, Ambuja Cements came forward to help the community in need by offering a long-term solution to their water crisis by building a masonry check dam.
Ambuja Cements has a reputation for helping the needy. The company’s technical team of four analyzed the rainfall data of the region including flash flood possibilities and designed the check dam. The team narrowed down a site with the help of village leaders. Built in coordination with the local community in over 45 days, the dam is now ready to serve generations. With a storage capacity of 91 000 m3 of water that can store water up to 10 km upstream as the river bed gradient is very less, the check dam has 10 gates and two distillation gates.
Ambuja Cements through such interventions continues to empower the families and communities for a better future. “At Ambuja Cements, the question about building a check dam was never why but when. Such interventions have the power to lift people, families and entire communities out of poverty and give them a prosperous future. Furthermore, if people are to think about development and contribute to the nation, then their basic needs like water must be met. Taking all these factors into consideration, we built a dam that can serve the long-term needs of the community for the next 75 years at least,” added Neeraj Akhoury, CEO India Holcim and MD and CEO, Ambuja Cements.
Image credits: Ambuja Cement Foundation (for representational purpose)