Faced with acute water crisis even before May mercury mayhem, the government has begun groundwork to ensure that Ranchi doesn't stay thirsty in the summer of 2017.

The state drinking water and sanitation department has deployed three earthmovers, eight dumpers and 18 tractors each for desiltation of Hatia Dam in Dhurwa and Gonda Dam in Kanke, two of three main reservoirs that ensure supply to the capital city.

"Work began yesterday (Saturday) and will continue till June 15. We have been asked to remove 50,000 cubic metres of mud from the bed of the Hatia Dam, which sprawls over 14.2sqkm and is 39ft deep. The volume of job may increase if the government decides so keeping all legalities in mind," said civil contractor Mani Bhusan Singh, who has been assigned the desilt task.

Executive engineer of drinking water and sanitation department Rajesh Kumar, who is supervising work in Kanke, said the Gonda Dam covered an area of 1.6sqkm and was around 30ft deep. "Here, 55,000 cubic metres of mud will be removed before the end of summer."

A department official said on April 16, chief minister Raghubar Das had visited the dams and ordered desiltation work as early as possible. "Work has started at his behest."

Asked how high the water level was expected to rise once the project was complete, civil contractor Singh couldn't provide an exact figure, but said, "The storage capacity will definitely increase after desiltation. Roughly, the dams will be able to supply water for two more months than usual once the rains fill them up."

Department sources said work was assigned on nomination basis to tide over the crisis without further delay.

"Generally, government projects are assigned after tendering process. It is time-consuming to select an agency through financial and technical bids. Hence, this job was assigned on nomination basis. A contractor, already shortlisted for other jobs at the dams, was entrusted with the task," a junior engineer said.

Requesting anonymity, he added that extra money, up to 25 per cent of what the contractor was receiving for the initial project, would be paid for the desiltation job. "If calculated roughly, the twin dam dredging jobs will together involve around Rs 1.5 crore."

Do you think the desiltation drive will solve water woes? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com