Gujarat is staring at acute water crisis this summer

ahmedabad — Gujarat is staring at an acute water crisis this summer apparently due to its over dependence on the Narmada Dam to meet all its requirements.

Gujarat chief secretary J N Singh recently announced that due to less water available in the Narmada, they will not be able to provide water to industries, and they have asked local bodies to look for alternate sources this summer.

The Narmada River catchment areas, mainly in Madhya Pradesh, received less rainfall last monsoon and the western state has got only 45 per cent of water in the Sardar Sarovar Dam than what it gets in normal monsoon years.

The state government recently asked farmers to skip sowing summer crops as it would not be able to provide irrigation water. It also plans to cut supply to industries and has asked the administration of cities and villages dependent on the Narmada for drinking purpose to explore local sources.

“Yes, we need to change the perception that we are totally dependent on the Sardar Sarovar project on Narmada. The Naramda water

We need to change the perception that we are totally dependent on the Sardar Sarovar project on narmada. The naramda water should be seen as an add-on of local sources of water and not as the main source.”

B N Navalawala, Gujarat CM’s adviser

should be seen as an add-on of local sources of water and not as the main source,” Gujarat chief minister’s adviser on water management, B N Navalawala, said.

The Sardar Sarovar Dam on the river Narmada has been described as ‘Gujarat’s lifeline’ by leaders of the ruling BJP as it aims to provide drinking water to 131 urban centres and 9,633 villages (53 per cent of total 18,144 state’s villages). The dam is also expected to facilitate irrigation of 18.54 hectares of land covering 3,112 villages of 73 talukas in 15 districts of Gujarat. — PTI