Gandhinagar:

In the wake of the said drastic lowering of water level in reservoirs of Narmada project this year owing to allotment of less water by the central authority to Gujarat due to scanty rain in the catchment area of river Narmada in neighboring Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat Chief Secretary and ex-officio Director of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd, J N Singh today appealed the farmers of Gujarat to remove the indigenous device ‘Bak Nali’ used by them to siphon off water from the Narmada water network.

Singh in presence of SSNNL CMD S S Rathore said that the water reserve in Sardar Sarovar reservoir this year was almost 50% of what it was last year. The central authority has allocated much less water to Gujarat owing to scanty rain in the catchment area of the river this year. It was in fact perhaps the lowest annual allotment so far. But there was sufficient water for drinking purposes.

‘We appeal the farmers to remove their Bak Nali devices from the canals and other networks which illegally siphon off the water owing to gravity laws. We have less water this year and we will only be able to provide drinking water during summers and that was our priority. The authorities would remove and seize such things if the farmers do not remove these at their own. In fact this exercise has started at some places,’ he said.

Singh said that whenever there was abundant water, it was provided for agri purposes during both Rabi and Kharif season. Even this year it would be given for the initial period of Kharif season though it was not binding as per the laid down rules. But the priority was to keep the water reserved for drinking purposes.

Notably, the state government had earlier made it clear that Narmada water for agricultural purposes won’t be provided this year. It has appealed the farmers to take crops only if they have alternative source of water.

DeshGujarat