11
scheme prepared by Mr. Burke, Assistant Engineer for Irrigation, for providing
the City with what is evidently its first requirement, namely, a plentiful supply of
pure water.
18. I am indebted to Mr. Burke for the following information regarding
the Ekruk Tank, which is situated about three miles due north of the town of
Sholápur, and has been designed to irrigate the belt of land lying on the eastern
side of the Adheela River and terminated by the river Sina. The dam is made
of earth and faced with stone on the tank side ; it is about 6,940 feet in length, and
has a maximum height of 76 feet. The surface area of the tank, when full, is
about 6.86 square miles, and its maximum depth of water equals 60 feet. Three
canals have been designed and partly constructed; one at a low and two at a high
level. The low level or perennial canal has been completed to the end of the 24th
mile, and in order to complete it 2 miles and 817 feet have yet to be constructed.
Of the high level canals, one on the left bank of the river has been completed,
and is 4 miles in total length, that on the right bank has been completed up to the
end of the 6th mile, and the remaining 12 miles are now in progress. Thus, when
completed, the total length of the canal will be about 48 miles. Irrigation from
these canals commenced in 1871-72.
19. I have extracted the following information from Mr. Burke's proposal,
dated 7th June 1875, to supply the city with water from the Ekruk Tank. This
proposal has met with the warm approbation of Mr. Grant, who strongly recom-
mends it to be carried out, and I earnestly trust that the Municipal Commission-
ers will do their utmost to push on a scheme which will prove of the greatest
possible value to the inhabitants of Sholápur. A turbine is to be erected close
to the mouth of the perennial canal, where the necessary head will be obtained
by constructing a masonry weir across the canal. The meter will be worked in
connection with two sets of direct acting treble plunger pumps so arranged that
in case of accident one set can be used separately. The water will be forced
through an iron pipe 6 inches in diameter and 2,000 feet in length into a
masonry tower which will be constructed close to the Government bungalow. From
this tower the water will flow by gravitation through iron pipes of 71/2 and 11
inches diameter, respectively, to service reservoirs constructed in the town of
Sholápur, and from which the water will be led to stand-posts erected in the prin-
cipal parts for distribution to the inhabitants ; 5 gallons per head being allowed
for 53,400 inhabitants, or 267,000 gallons per day. The cost, including 15 per cent
for the necessary establishment of the Public Works Department for supervision,
is estimated at Rs. 2,13,934, and the annual amount to be paid by the Munici-
pality to Government is to be levied at the rate of Rs. 15 per annum for each
1,000 gallons supplied per diem, so that as 267,000 gallons represents the daily
quantity required, the amount to be paid annually would be Rs. 4,005. The
Municipal Commissioners, when this project was submitted to them, resolved
first of all to try and ascertain whether it would not be possible to construct a
tank on the east or south of the City ; but on further inquiry this latter course
was found to be impossible, and the Municipal Commissioners have very wisely
decided on adopting Mr. Burke's proposal, and have sanctioned expenditure of
Rs. 960 for the preparation of plans and estimates.
20. I am strongly of opinion that no other permanent plan should be
adopted, although I was very glad that the Municipal Commissioners, at their
meeting held on the 14th September, at which I had the pleasure to be present,
resolved to expend Rs. 2,500 in bringing water from the Ekruk Canal to the
cistern inside the Dehgaon y es. This cistern was originally constructed as a
reservoir for water to be brought from the Mai Talao. It is very deep, and
should, in my opinion, be filled in for a height of 10 feet ; and the sides should be
carefully lined with hydraulic cement to prevent the percolation I saw taking
place into it. It should be covered over, and the water should be drawn off
through brass cocks let into the wall all round, the approach being made by
a sub-way, and a drain to the nullah outside the wall to carry off the wastage