The Mineral Area Development Authority (Mada) has started desilting Top-chanchi Lake to provide uninterrupted water supply to more than 5 lakh resident of Katras.

Mada technical member Indresh Shukla said, “Desilting, which began 20 days ago with an aim to complete it ahead of monsoon, is being carried out at a cost of Rs 13.20 crore provided by the minor irrigation department.”

“Though the original estimate of the project was around Rs 18 crore, we revised it to Rs 13.30 crore since machines were being used instead of labourers. Contractor Messers Daroga Pradhan and Company has been asked to complete the project within three months so that the lake can store ample water,” he added.

“Since the entire lake, which is around 20 metres deep, cannot be desilted, we are removing silt from the dry areas by excavating around 6 metres” Shukla said.

Residents in Katras have been plagued by water crisis for years with the lake, the sole source of drinking water, often drying up during summers.

Topchanchi, which was developed as an artificial lake by the British government in 1924 by tapping 10 different natural channels flowing through the nearby Parasnath hills, is a major tourist destination.

As much as 24 lakh gallons of water is supplied to more than 5 lakh residents of Katras from Topchanchi Lake, spread over 214 acre.

The lake, around 37km from here, is also a favourite destination for migratory birds such as black cormorant, pink-headed duck, black-winged stilt, common teal, gadwall, brown-headed gull, spoonbill, red-crested pochard and common coot.

The lake surrounded by several beautiful hillocks was once was a favourite destination of filmmakers. Several Hindi and Bengali films starring Dharmendra, Ashok Kumar, Uttam Kumar, Mazhar Khan, Girish Karnad and Suchitra Sen have been shot in the vicinity.