Gandhinagar/ Kutch, May 12 (KNN) Kutch is one of the areas in the country facing the high scarcity of water. As a result of this, the Gujarat Ministers’ Sub-Committee for Drought Relief, at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel here today, declared 121 villages in seven talukas of Kutch, Jamnagar and Banaskantha districts as drought-hit.

Now the total number of drought hit and semi drought hit villages is 1,115 in the state.

The MSMEs in the state are also suffering because of water scarcity forcing the industries to either shut down their units or leading to massive fall in industrial production.

Talking to KNN, President of The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kutch, Rajesh Suryakant Bhatt said, “Narmada water which is being given to the Industries is now being provided to the drinking water pipe lines. This is a much needed step.”

He further explained that water based industries have a huge an impact of drought and their production have gone down to merely 25 per cent.

Industries are also supporting the Government on drought issue, he said adding that the villages are suffering a lot here.

This includes 58 villages of Nakhtrana, Anjar and Bhuj talukas in Kutch district; 52 villages in Vav, Suigam and Tharad talukas of Banaskantha and 11 villages of Jamjodhpur taluka in Jamnagar district.

“We are facing drought situation here since two months, now there is no water left in ponds, reservoirs and dams”, added the President.

He said that Chief Minister Anandiben Patel is scheduled to visit Kutch on 14th May for a high level meeting on scarcity of water in drought affected region.

When asked about CM’s meeting with industrials, he said, “We have requested her to meet us but there is no problem, she can meet the industrials in Gandhinagar too, but this time she is only taking the issue of scarcity of water and drought.”

He also informed that in Kutch the ground level water is available for now but “there are some limitations”.

In another decision, the Sub-Committee increased the quantum of water releases from the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) main dam on the Narmada from 1,200 MLD to 2,300 MLD with effect from May 15 to serve the priority areas served by the Narmada Command Area.

The water level at the 203 reservoirs in the state stands at 3245.93 million cubic meters, which amounts to 20.14 per cent of their total storage capacity, for drinking and irrigation purpose.

In the meeting it was informed that 504 tankers make 2,400 trips to serve 398 villages and 493 hamlets daily, the quantum decided as per the population. Even as 20,137 bores and hand pumps have been completed, 225 teams are busy to repair and maintain them.

Nearly 35.53-lakh families are provided employment worth Rs. 100-crore under MNREGA, for a total of 891 irrigation related works including deepening of existing reservoirs. About 3-lakh kg grass and fodder is supplied to 46 cow shelters for 9,433 cattle and to 13 cattle camps for 7,933 cattle. (KNN/ AR)