Gandhinagar: The Congress government of Rajasthan has breached an agreement by stating that the water from Mahi Bajaj Sagar Dam will not be provided to Gujarat, said Cabinet Minister Jitubhai Vaghani in a note. Vaghani is Spokesperson minister for Gujarat government.

Cabinet Minister Jitubhai Vaghani stated that the Rajasthan minister has driven by political hatred given a statement regarding no supply of water to Gujarat from Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam, which is condemnable. He has also breached an agreement on water made in 1966, he added.

He stated that the remark by a minister of Rajasthan government regarding not providing water to Gujarat from Mahi Bajaj Sagar Dam reveals his anti-Gujarat mentality. It is improper to play politics over water, he added.

He further stated that Gujarat provides Narmada water to Rajasthan as per an agreement. Vaghani said Gujarat has not stopped supplying water to Rajasthan ever, despite of a debt worth Rs 559 crores on Rajasthan which has to be paid to Gujarat. He added further that the Congress party leaders of Gujarat should convey to the Rajasthan government that they should strictly obey the arrangements made as per the agreement for the welfare of the public of state.

It’s worth noting here that Water Resources Minister of Rajasthan, Mahendrajit Singh Malviya had recently said publicly that not even a drop of water would be allowed to go to Gujarat from Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam in Banswada district of Rajasthan. He went on to say that till now 40 TMC (thousand million cubic ft) water was going to Gujarat, but now onward this water will be stopped and made available to the farmers of Banswada and Dungarpur. Malviya further said that formal decision in this regard will be taken after a meeting with officials. The version according to Malviya is that an agreement between Gujarat and Rajasthan was inked on 10 January, 1966, according to which Gujarat government would contribute 55 per cent cost of Mahi dam, in exchange of which, Gujarat will be given 40 TMC water. According to a version of Malviya, a condition was attached to this agreement that when Narmada water would reach Kheda district of Gujarat, the State (Gujarat) would stop taking water from Mahi dam. DeshGujarat