Water level dips to 30% in Guj’s dams

As mercury is constantly soaring in the pick summer season, the issue of water scarcity in Gujarat too is becoming critical as less than 30 per cent water remained in major dams of the State.

Sources in State Government said that if monsoon would not arrive in time drinking water situation in the State, especially in arid Saurashtra-Kutch region would become bad to worse. Of the 203 major dams in the State, 65 have already become completely empty. Other 153 dams have less than 25 per cent water. Of total storage capacities of the State’s major dams, only 29 per cent water saved. But the officials concerned are worried about fast evaporation of water due to boiling temperature. For the past one fortnight temperature in most parts of the State touched or crossed 42 degree Celsius. 

Situation in bordering Kutch district is even more critical as only 15 per cent water remained in 20 dams there. Same is the case with 138 dams of Saurashtra region where hardly 17 per cent water remained. People are facing acute water scarcity problems in districts like Amreli, Botad, Dwarka, Junagadh, Kheda and Chhota Udepur. 

Only five per cent water available in dams situated in Amreli district. In Chhota Udepur district situation is even worse as only 4.79 per cent water available in dams there. Junagadh, Porbandar, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar availability of water is 2.78 per cent, 9.72 per cent, 11.66 per cent and 12.54 per cent respectively.

Sardar Sarovar Dam, which is considered as lifeline of the state is filled with 31.73 per cent water of its capacity. People will have to wait for monsoon for at least one month and during the period, water level in all the dams would reduce considerably due to high evaporation as well as increasing supply.