Irrigation dept to curb water supply to south Gujarat industries

SURAT: A severe water crisis looms on the industrial belt of south Gujarat with Surat irrigation circle deciding to curb supply in all the five districts to give water to agriculture and drinking.

The irrigation circle has dashed off letters to the industrial estates and GIDCs in Surat, Valsad, Bharuch (Ankleshwar), Valsad and Navsari stating that there would be only two rotations of 22 days in March and 20 days in April. The crisis has emerged as the water level in Uklai reservoir is at its lowest in the last one decade.

Those industries depending on Ukai dam canal water may be even forced to cut down production in wake of the shortage.

At present, the water level at Ukai reservoir is at 305.72 feet or 1,704 million cubic metres (MCM) against its full capacity of 345 feet or 7,414 MCM. This is just 22.98% of water storage at present.

Superintending engineer of Ukai reservoir, RM Patel said, “We have to supply nearly 925 MCM water in two rotations this summer. Apart from that, 120 MCM of water is supplied for drinking purpose to other smaller towns except Surat. The Surat civic body gets 325 MCM water per annum and the water loss is about 476 MCM in all. This will not leave much water for any other purpose including industrial use”

Patel added, “The major industries located in Hazira will not be affected as they draw water directly from the river and not the canal”

Superintending engineer, Surat irrigation circle, Sandeep Mahakal told TOI, “It is basically, the GIDCs and other industries located in districts of Surat, Navsari, Valsad and Bharuch that depend on the canal water to run their units. These industries are going to face water crisis due to lack of water in Ukai reservoir.”

Irrigation department has issued a circular for the closure of canal for 60 days period starting from January 1. However, no water will be released in canal from Ukai dam till February end. As a result, all those industrial units and GIDC based units, that depend on canal water will have to make alternative arrangements to run their industries.

For example, in Sachin GIDC majority of the textile dyeing and printing and chemical units are dependent on canal water. Now they have no other water source, but to get from the private water suppliers at the high rates.

President of South Gujarat Textile Processors Association (SGTPA), Jitu Vakharia, said, “The water-dependent industrial units including textile mills, dyes and chemical units, engineering units will be hit hard due to the crisis. In Sachin GIDC, there are 60 textile mills dependent solely on canal water. The production is going to suffer in the coming few months. The mill owners will have already started booking private water tankers for the uninterrupted supply”

Mahakal said, “The biggest priority for us is to supply sufficient water for drinking and agriculture purpose, industries comes last in our priority”