Bharuch: Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil, who is also a member of the Rajya Sabha, attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government on Sunday, blaming the massive release of water from the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River for the flood situations in the low-lying areas of Bharuch district. The Government has however in its today’s press conference refuted Congress allegations.

Gohil stated, “It is a matter of great sorrow that over 17 lakh cusecs of water were released from the Narmada Dam in Bharuch on one day. In total, 18.2 lakh cusecs of water were released simultaneously, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas of Bharuch. Water rushed in up to the second stories of buildings, causing significant losses and destroying farms. All this happened because 17 September is the Prime Minister’s birthday, and for that occasion, the dam was filled, and the Chief Minister went there to perform a pooja. To carry out this drama, the water, which had been rising since last week, was not released, and the turbines were shut down. Instead, if the water had been released in smaller installments, this destruction would not have occurred, and people would not have suffered so much.”

“I do not believe that even the Prime Minister had information about this, but the Gujarat government should not have undertaken such a gimmick to impress the Prime Minister, putting people’s lives in danger. I hope that in the future, the BJP government will refrain from such actions,” added the state Congress chief.

When asked to clarify on this allegation, the State government spokesperson minister Rushikesh Patel today in his press conference told media persons that water from Madhya Pradesh based dam was released in volume even more than maintaining rule level. In addition to this, there were very heavy rains due to low pressure in Bay of Bengal on the route between the dam in Madhya Pradesh from where water was released and Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujarat. A storm was parallel to the river Narmada and there was lot of water added from the catchment areas. Thus massive inflow was noticed in Sardar Sarovar dam just in the course of one and half day. Rushikesh Patel maintained that all was done under the guideline of Central Water Commission. We started releasing water from 16th at 7.00 am in the size of 6.67 lakh cusecs water. Narmada level at 7 am on 16th was 135.37 meter. We had 3.31 meter cushion to accommodate volume of water as high as 1034 MCM fresh water in Sardar Sarovar dam.

Patel said, at water release from Omkareshwar was increased from 68,000 cusecs to 4.53 lakh cusecs at 3 am. After 8 to 12 hours travel, the waters arrived at Sardar Sarovar dam with additional water of fresh rains on the route. 5.31 lakh cusecs flood inflow went up to 22 lakh in 12 midnight. The dam received 110 percent water of its capacity in one and half day.

When asked by media persons that why Narmada dam in Gujarat achieved highest level of water only on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday for last three times, Rushikesh Patel said – ‘ask this question to nature (kudrat)’. He went on to say that the dam is very large and it achieved full level during 10 to 30th September after the rainfall of June, July, August and initial part of September. Patel said, it’s conventional to welcome and worship Narmada water when full level is achieved at Narmada dam.

Government sources said the incoming water was not just in Narmada basin but also in Ukai and Mahisagar basin due to very heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra States in the wake of low pressure conditions in Bay of Bengal. Government sources also stated that while Chief Minister welcomed the Narmada water at Sardar Sarovar, there was no such event in Mahi and Tapi. It was purely nature’s condition due to which huge inflow was experienced during 16-17 September. DeshGujarat