Surat, Oct 25 (PTI) Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil on Sunday said Gujarat has offered to provide electricity generated from water or monetary compensation in exchange for water from neighbouring states to address its shortage, particularly for the upcoming rabi crop season.
As per the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) report as of September 3, Gujarat received 94.83 per cent of its average monsoon rainfall this year, amounting to 584.43 mm.
The rainfall remained uneven in Saurashtra, Kutch and parts of north Gujarat. Devbhumi Dwarka received only 5.47 per cent of its average rainfall, while Porbandar recorded 18.12 per cent, Jamnagar 28.88 per cent and Kutch 86.28 per cent, as per data tabled by the government in the state assembly last month.
Speaking at an event in Surat in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, Paatil said the CM would visit Delhi, likely on Tuesday, to meet the chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan to discuss Gujarat’s water requirements.
“I can assure you in advance that the necessary water will be secured to address the water deficit in Gujarat,” Paatil said, adding that the chief minister had proposed offering either electricity generated from the water or monetary compensation in return for the supply.
Paatil said he had spoken to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday and informed him about a letter received from the Gujarat government seeking a decision by Tuesday. The Madhya Pradesh chief minister had agreed to the proposal, he said.
“If we finalise this by Tuesday, the concerns shared by the chief minister and Jitubhai regarding the provision of water for the rabi crop could potentially be resolved,” the MP from Navsari in Gujarat said.
Paatil further said the prevailing water shortage situation was due to El Niño, a global climate phenomenon that emerges from variation in winds and sea surface temperatures.
“Given the current water situation caused by ‘El Niño’, Gujarat is perhaps in a better position compared to other states. Gujarat’s chief minister is actively pushing to secure water allocations from other states as well,” he said.
Paatil also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for the construction of 1.55 crore rainwater harvesting structures across the country, which have helped conserve more than 12 billion cubic metres of water.
Significant work has also been undertaken in this regard in Gujarat, particularly in the Saurashtra region, he added.
(PTI News)
