Maharashtra: Shirdi Saibaba Trust gives Rs 500 crore for Nilwande Dam
Mumbai, Dec 2 : The Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, which manages the saint's samadhi at Shirdi in Maharashtra's Ahmedanagar district, will provide Rs 500 crore to build a canal network for a dam.
The Nilwande Dam is located on Pravara River and is expected to benefit 182 villages in Sangamner, Akole, Rahata, Rahuri and Kopargao tehsils in Ahmednagar district and Sinnar in Nashik.
A senior official of the Trust said a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed with the state government's Godawari-Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation in this regard.
"The trust will give Rs 500 crore for the project but will not charge interest on it," he said, though he refused to divulge details of tenure of repayment etc.
The official said the temple trust provides money for social work regularly but the amount it had allocated for the Nilwande Dam was "huge" and a "rare thing".
A state Water Resources department official said the Nilwande Dam had begun storing water but the right and left bank canals needed to be built for it to be used for irrigation and drinking water purposes.
The Nilwande Dam, this June, received Rs 2,232 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sanjivani Yojana.
The Shirdi-based temple trust had earlier provided Rs 50 crore to the Maharashtra Airport Development Company for the construction of the Rs 350-crore airport there. The airport, located at Kakadi village, is now operational.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sound effect: Farmers play music on solar-powered speakers to keep tigers at bay in Pilibhit
Pilibhit (UP) (PTI): Farmers living in villages adjoining the Mala range of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve have devised an unusual method to keep tigers away from their fields during sugarcane harvesting – playing loud music on solar-powered sound systems.
According to the farmers, the continuous noise helps deter wild animals from entering their fields.
As sugarcane fields are dense and the visibility is low, the risk of sudden encounters with tigers remains high during the harvesting season.
Forest officials described the initiative as a “desi jugaad” that not only enhances safety but also adds an element of entertainment, with loud music echoing across the fields during work hours.
The method has emerged as a unique way to check human-animal conflict.
Ramnagaria, Ajitpur, Jamunia, Mahua, Mala Ghera, Richhola and Basantapur are among the villages located close to the Mala range that frequently witness tiger movement, keeping the residents on edge. Recently, fresh tiger pugmarks were found in a field in Mahua.
ALSO READ: Party over: Goa cracks down on illegal nightclubs ahead of festive season
According to forest officials, Krishna Kumar and his associates in Jamunia village pioneered the “musical” method to deal with the threat.
“Working in the dense sugarcane fields is risky business. We believe wild animals move away due to noise, so playing songs loudly helps keep them at a distance,” Kumar said.
The method is proving effective, enabling farmers to carry out agricultural activities in groups without fear, the villagers said.
Several farmers, including Gaurishankar, Tinku, Ram Bahadur, Rakesh Kumar, Prabhu Dayal and Lalaram, have joined Kumar in implementing this innovative approach.
Deputy Ranger Sher Singh said the forest department is also making continuous efforts to spread awareness among the villagers.
“The department is organising meetings to educate farmers about safe and scientific methods to protect themselves from wildlife,” he told reporters.
