Gujarat is preparing for additional water supplies after a weak and irregular monsoon affected crop production and left rivers, streams and reservoirs with inadequate storage in parts of Saurashtra-Kutch and North Gujarat, with Union Water Resources Minister C.R. Patil scheduled to chair a meeting of the chief ministers of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan in New Delhi on October 27.
The meeting will discuss how much water can be allocated to Gujarat and from which states, according to a report by Nav Gujarat Samay. The state has sought an additional two MCF of water from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti as it prepares for possible drinking-water requirements through the coming summer. The report said the government is planning for the needs of Gujarat’s population of about seven crore people.
Patil said at a programme in Surat on Sunday that Gujarat would receive the water it required from other states. He said Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani had pressed for additional supplies because of the situation attributed to El Nino. Patel welcomed the assurance and thanked the Union minister on behalf of the state’s residents.
Gujarat has also proposed using electricity generated through the Sardar Sarovar project as part of an arrangement for securing water. The report said the Narmada dam has the capacity to generate a total of 1,450 megawatts through canal and river-bed power projects, but generation is currently being avoided to preserve stored water. Under the proposal, Gujarat could provide electricity to neighbouring states that need it in return for water from the Narmada system. Madhya Pradesh has indicated that it is prepared to consider the arrangement, with the details to be discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.
The outcome could affect water availability for the rabi season, particularly in areas dependent on the Narmada canal and pipeline network. Although the Sardar Sarovar reservoir is reported to be nearly 100% full, the stored water is shared by Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Under normal conditions, Narmada canals and pipelines supply drinking water to around 70-80% of Gujarat’s areas, along with some industrial requirements.
The state has not yet announced a drought or scarcity declaration. Labour and Employment Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya said on Sunday that surveys were being conducted to assess the effects of the weak monsoon. The Agriculture Department and local administration are examining actual yields as the harvesting of kharif crops continues. A final decision on declaring drought or scarcity and providing assistance will be considered after the surveys.
The reported assessment follows the failure of the final phase of the monsoon in late September. Demands have risen for assistance to farmers, local employment, fodder for livestock and drinking-water facilities in affected parts of Saurashtra and Kutch. The state government has said it is working to ensure adequate fodder and drinking water for pastoral communities while the inter-state allocation proposal is considered.
The October 27 meeting is expected to determine the proposed water-sharing arrangement and the quantity that may be made available to Gujarat.
