Sufficient water for drinking purpose till July-end for entire State: Gujarat government

Gandhinagar: Speaking to media persons, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel today said Gujarat has enough water to supply for drinking water till the end of the month of July this year. He said the situation is better than last year when the State had to source water from underground tunnel of Narmada dam as early as in the month of February.

Nitin Patel announced statewide 1916 toll-free number for assistance regarding drinking water supply.

Nitin said, daily 375 crore litre Narmada water is supplied to 8,911 villages, 165 towns and 6 municipal corporation areas to 4 crore citizens. He said 263 localities in 258 villages across 62 talukas are supplied water through 1561 trips of 361 tankers this summer. He said district collectors are told to respond to any fresh demand of water tanker on immediate basis and make necessary arrangement in upcoming two months of summer – May and June.

‘The model code of conduct was strict till we had polling in the State. However we have requested the Election Commission to relax the imposition of model code of conduct now so far as the issues are drinking water supply, tube well, hand pump, group water supply projects and power connection to water infrastructure is concerned.

‘Narmada dam has sufficient water for supply for drinking purpose this year. One million acre ft water is received in catchment area of Sardar Sarovar dam. The month of April is over. We have supplied irrigation water in command area during the monsoon and winter. 509 ponds are filled with water through Sujalam Sufalam network for the needs of cattle. About 4 crore citizens of Gujarat will continue to get secured drinking water supply till the end of the month of July and there’s no reason to worry. Some tribal areas, jungle and forest areas have some issues regarding dry hand pumps but as the model code of conduct imposition is not as strict as it was till polling, the problem is being solved,’ said Nitin Patel.

He said Rs. 125 crore pipeline, filtration and pumping plant for Porbandar town and district was approved before the imposition of model code of conduct.

‘A new pipeline is laid at a cost of Rs. 120 crore. It is 64 km long located between Upleta and Ranavav. It will start supplying water regularly in next two-three days. Currently trial run is on for daily 2 crore litre water supply. The works for filtration and chlorination are underway,’ he said.

‘Kutch was getting daily 27 crore litre water supply of Narmada. With allocation of more water this year, the district is now getting daily 32 crore litre supply. Anjar – Kukma pipeline works are completed, thanks to which Bhuj, Banni, Lakhpat, Abdasa areas get 13 crore litre per day water supply instead of 10 crore litre previously,’ he said.

He said revamped Gadhada pumping station of Narmada water is equipped now to supply daily 5 crore litre additional water thanks to expansion of pumping station. This will benefit Amreli district. He added that India’t tallest pumping station at Dhaki supplied 20 crore litre more water to Saurashtra region this year compared to past. New pipeline laying work in Santalpur-Radhanpur area is going on. Once completed, it will supply more water to Santalpur taluka which is located next to Rann of Kutch, he said.

DeshGujarat