Ujani Dam 

Source-This post on Ujani Dam has been created based on the article “6 Drown As Boat Capsizes In Dam Backwaters In Pune” published in “NDTV” on 24 May 2024.

Why in News?

Recently, a boat capsized in the backwaters of Ujani Dam in Maharashtra’s Pune district, drowning six persons, including two children.

About Ujani Dam

1. Ujani Dam is situated on the Bhima River near Ujjani village in the Solapur district of Maharashtra.

2. This earth-fill and masonry gravity dam was built between 1977 and 1980. It stretches 2,534 meters in length and stands 63 meters high.

3. The dam’s structure, including a 602-meter-long spillway, is supported by massive basaltic rock formations.

4. Purpose: The dam was primarily constructed to provide irrigation water and hydroelectric power to the region.

5. Capacity and Storage: Ujani Dam has a capacity of 117 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), divided into 54 TMC of live storage and 63 TMC of dead storage.

The dam has a hydroelectric power generation capacity of 12 MW.

6. Environmental Concerns:  The water quality in Ujani Dam is notably poor, containing hazardous pollutants. This pollution primarily comes from Pune and other smaller cities along the Bhima River and its tributaries.

About Bhima River

1. It is also known also as the Chandrabagha River. It is a major river in southwest India and primarily a tributary of the Krishna River.

2. It originated in the Bhimashankar hills near Karjat, located on the western side of the Western Ghats, in Pune District, Maharashtra.

3. It flows southeast through Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana, merging into the Krishna River at Kadlur (Raichur), Karnataka.

4. It is bordered by the Western Ghats to the west, the Balaghat Range to the north, and the Mahadeo Hills to the south. Its major Tributaries includes rivers such as Sina and Nira.

5.  Pandharpur which is an important pilgrimage center is situated on the right bank of the Bhima River.

UPSC Syllabus: Environment, Geography