Growing ‘green’ at the Lower Suktel UGPL Irrigation Project 

WET IC’s Lower Suktel UGPL Irrigation Project in Balangir, Odisha, aims to transform irrigation infrastructure across a significant region, covering a planned command area of 27,000 hectares spanning 141 villages. Along with delivering a top-class project, Project Manager T. Arulgnanam and his team are committed to meet their responsibilities towards the environment as well. “Integrating sustainable practices into the project enhances its resilience and contributes to the well-being of both the planet and society,” he says with conviction. “Our project serves as a model of environmental stewardship, actively striving to minimize pollution, utilize sustainable materials, and manage waste efficiently.”

Under Arulgnanam’s leadership, the project team has adopted various strategies to demonstrate their commitment to environmental responsibility, balancing the necessities of construction with the imperative of ecological protection. “By adopting sustainable practices and advanced technologies, we make our methods efficient and environmentally friendly,” elaborates Arulgnanam. “Our dedication to ecofriendly approaches reduces waste, conserves energy, and encourages the use of safer materials, promoting a more sustainable future for EPC project execution.”

The team’s mandate

The scope of the project is expansive and multifaceted, involving the construction of a pump house with an 828-metrelong approach intake channel, an 18 km transmission line (33/6.6 kVA MSDSS), and operator quarters. To ensure equitable water distribution, the project includes a distribution network of 3,236 km, comprising 59 km MS, 125 km DI, and 3,111 km HDPE pipelines with pipe diameters ranging from 3,000 mm to 75 mm that navigate 9 State Highways, 5 National Highways, and 2 railway crossings. Additionally, the project features 2,941 10-Hectare Chak outlets with 26,696 Sub Chak 1‑hectare outlets to provide water through an outlet management system operated by SCADA to irrigate 27,005 hectares of farmland.

Solar panels reduce reliance on traditional power sources

Biofuel instead of diesel: A double ‘green’ advantage

Reducing reliance on high-speed diesel (HSD) in favour of biodiesel is a key sustainability initiative, recognizing the approximately 65 diesel-powered vehicles and equipment deployed in the project as both a challenge and an opportunity to enhance efficiency while minimizing environmental impact. “Using biodiesel has significant benefits such as lower emissions of particulate matter, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide,” flags off Sourav Dhara, P&M In-charge, “and although it does result in a slight increase in nitrogen oxide emissions, the overall environmental impact remains favourable.” Furthermore, biodiesel improves engine performance by enhancing fuel cetane numbers and lubricity. The initiative has yielded impressive results: reducing diesel consumption by 6,465 litres, translating into a potential decrease of 124 tons in
CO₂e emissions.

Additives to optimize fuel efficiency

By incorporating fuel additives with HSD at a precise ratio of 1:1000, the team has optimized fuel efficiency by enhancing the combustion process, contributing in turn to improve engine performance and reduced emissions. Designed specifically to clean and protect engine components, the additives minimize deposits that could otherwise hinder efficiency over time. Smartly, this strategy maximizes the benefits of renewable energy sources while maintaining the reliability and power of diesel engines.

Exercising the solar option to traditional power

The limitless energy of the sun is proving handy for the team, for by installing solar panels, they have been able to, on one hand, reduce reliance on traditional power sources while, on the other, promote environmental sustainability, lower electricity costs, and decrease carbon footprint. “It gives us substantial savings on electricity costs,” smiles Arulgnanam, adding that once the initial investment to install the solar panels is recouped, the ongoing cost of electricity is dramatically reduced or even eliminated, depending on the system’s size and energy consumption. Ultimately, the widespread use of solar panels will pave the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future, where energy is abundant, affordable, and environmentally responsible.

The team has installed 70 solar streetlights of 40 W capacity, two 1 kVA solar systems, and two 2 kVA solar systems at several store yards, resulting in savings of approximately 27,911 kWh units of electricity. Around 10% of the site’s energy consumption comes from solar power, with a total saving of ₹1.7 lakhs as of March 2025.

Protecting the planet’s most vital resource

Implementing curing compounds for the 1‑hectare outlets was a strategic response to address the difficulties of water tankers accessing agricultural fields and manoeuvring congested areas, according to Planning Manager Balla Dinesh Kumar. “Our approach not only supports the development of adequate concrete strength but also minimizes reliance on water, as curing compounds are a viable alternative to conventional wet curing methods, particularly in conditions where sustaining continuous moisture is challenging, or in regions open to direct sunlight or strong winds.”

With 26,696 outlets, and each outlet requiring 45 litres of curing water over a period of seven days, the demand was high, but it has been adequately met with curing compounds. “We have achieved significant water savings of 1,200 kilolitres. The cost of a water tanker, which holds 1,500 litres, is ₹3,000. Consequently, the overall savings from reduced use of water tankers should be approximately ₹24 lakhs,” says an immensely happy Balla.

Prioritizing waste reduction and resource efficiency

Apart from driving safety, EHS In-charge Bhaskar Sekhar Parichha has the additional responsibility of aligning his project’s activities with the principles of Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. A total of 2,167.2 kg of concrete cubes, each weighing 8.4 kg, has been repurposed for gardening and establishing an emergency assembly point, with 258 cubes reused. Additionally,
2,682 kg of wooden material waste, including shuttering plywood sheets and wooden spacers from unloading DI pipes was transformed into storage boxes for power tools, shelves, earth pit valve display boards, rest benches, shuttering support, and stacking of formwork materials. A total of 90 kg of plastic was reused from empty admixture drums and repurposed for storing nuts and bolts, in 9 drums each weighing 10 kg.

Concrete testing cubes reused for area demarcation

“We have transformed a total of 1,277 kg of metal scrap into a range of functional items, such as fire extinguisher stands, safety poster displays, shoe racks, and cloth hangers for the workers’ camp,” shares Bhaskar. Scrap has also been used to create rebar mesh for securing openings at the pump house, storage stands for gas cutting cylinders and light stands.