286 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
“The second matter of policy is the collective responsibility of the three Governments assembled here to put their shoulders to the task. I believe that there will be general agreement that the findings in the Preliminary Memorandum justify the three Governments in proceeding energetically with the development of the Damodar River Valley on the general lines indicated in the Memorandum.
“The project is a welcome one to the Government of India. It very clearly shows a fine prospect of the control of the river, a prospect of controlling Hoods, of securing a fine area for perennial irrigation with resultant insurance against famine and a much needed supply of power. I am sure it will be more than welcome to the Governments of Bengal and Bihar, if they realise what the project will mean to them and their people.
“In concrete terms, the project will give them (1) an aggregate controlled reservoir capacity of about 4,700,000 acre-feed,
(2) sufficient water for perennial irrigation of about 760,000 acres besides water for navigation purposes, (3) electrical energy amounting to 300,000 kilowatts, and (4) it would serve to promote directly the welfare of 5 million people and indirectly of many more millions.
“Coming now to the question of methods and procedure, we have to decide upon the following points which I am placing before you in order of priority :—
(1) Selections of dam sites to be taken up first;
(2) Further detailed investigations as to the selected dam sites before construction can begin ;
(3) The agency for such further preliminary investigations ;
(4) The agency for designing and construction of dams ;
(5) The creation of high grade administrative machinery to coordinate and push forward the vast amount of work, both technical and administrative, that will have to be done during the stages of investigations and construction that are to follow ; and
(6) A series of surveys relating to the best utilisation of water and power that will be eventually available in the developed areas.
“I would like to emphasize the need for a quick decision on the points relating to method and procedure. The project is no doubt primarily for the establishment of safety and the development of a