1650 mcft Narmada water to be released to save Kharif crops

In the wake of a delay in the monsoon, the Gujarat government has taken a timely and urgent step by ordering release of 1,650 million cubic feet (mcft) or 6,300 cusec water from the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) Narmada dam to save the kharif crops from withering.

The 1,650 mcft water is being released through the existing Narmada canal and Sujaam Sufalam pipeline networks for irrigation in Mehsana, Patan and Sabarkantha districts in north Gujarat, and also for Sanand and Viramgam talukas in Ahmedabad district. The step is believed to benefit farmers who have taken up kharif crops on about 25,000 hectares, informed the ministers.

“The timely and urgent step has been taken to tide over the sudden increased demand for water to save crops already sown, owing to delayed monsoon in most parts of the state,” said Jaynarayan Vyas and Saurabh Patel, state government spokespersons-ministers.

The order is effective from on Wednesday. Earlier, the government had also decided to increase three-phase power supply for agricultural purposes by two hours with immediate effect from the earlier duration of eight hours.