Don't need permission to fill Narmada Dam, says Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday once again reiterated that Gujarat planned to fill Sardar Sarovar Dam up to its maximum water storage capacity. At an event held to celebrate the success of the government's Sujalam Sufalam Jal Abhiyan, a programme aimed at conserving water by desilting canals, check dams and ponds in the state, Rupani said that it was imperative that Gujarat becomes a water surplus region.

Rupani said that the state did not need permission from anyone to refill the reservoir at its maximum capacity. "We have the right to fill it," said Rupani.

Earlier, in mid-August following heavy rains, the water level in the dam at Kevadia had touched 133 metres, just five metres short of its upper limit of 1,38.68 metres. The dam has the capacity to store 4.75 million acre-feet (MAF) water. If the spate of good rains continues, Gujarat hopes to see the water level in the dam touch its full reservoir level for the first time since 2017 when its height was raised.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh government has been requesting its neighbouring states to rethink its decision to fill the Sardar Sarovar Dam to full reservoir level on humanitarian grounds. The MP government said that doing so will affect 6,000 families in 76 villages who are living in the catchment area of the dam and who are yet to be rehabilitated.

MP and Gujarat governments have been at loggerheads over the issue for some time with the latter also warning the former not to play politics over the issue. Earlier in August, Madhya Pradesh Minister for Narmada Valley Development, Surendra Singh Baghel had threatened not to release water for the Narmada dam.

He accused Gujarat and the Centre of not addressing the concerns of the project affected people and accused the BJP-ruled state of not being serious about meetings under the NCA to help rehabilitate the project affected. He had also accused Gujarat of not releasing water for power generation. At that time, deputy chief minister, Nitin Patel had clarified that under the NCA agreement, the water could be released for power generation only after it reached a level of 131 metres in the dam and that the state had already paid Rs 400 crore to rehabilitate the project affected.

RECAP

• The MP and Gujarat governments have been at loggerheads over the issue of completely filling up the Sardar Sarovar dam for some time now. The Madhya Pradesh government has asked for a rethink on the matter
   
• According to the MP government, filling the dam to full reservoir level would affect 6,000 families in 76 villages, who are yet to be rehabilitated. Gujarat government has warned the former not to play politics over the issue