No Narmada water for irrigation this summer, 10 lakh farmers to be hit

The Gujarat government has advised farmers against any cultivation during the summer season if they are dependent on the Narmada river for irrigation.

The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) issued a circular on Friday alerting farmers not to take up crop cultivation. The state government made the decision after the water level in the Narmada reservoir remained below average during the past monsoon season.

Later in the evening, SSNNL also issued a press communiqué in this regard.

"In the past monsoon season, the catchment area of the Narmada river received the lowest rainfall in the past 15 years. The Sardar Sarovar reservoir received 45 per cent less water this year as the catchment area of the Narmada received 50 per cent less than its total capacity of 28MAF. Hence, the Narmada water will not be available for irrigation after March 15 this year. Farmers are requested not to take up cultivation in the summer season, unless they have other sources of water available," the press communiqué stated.

"The Narmada Control Authority (NCA) has cut short the supply of the Narmada water to the partner states [Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh] and it was decided in a meeting of the NCA, held in New Delhi on January 10, that Gujarat will receive only 4.71 million acre feet (MAF) of water against the prescribed supply of 9 MAF. The water stock will be reserved for drinking water supply in summer days."

The state government has assured that the people will receive drinking water from the Narmada till June.

The Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada is the last dam on the river before it merges with the Arabian Sea. The river has several dams in its upper stream in Madhya Pradesh.

The catchment area of the Narmada is spread across 88,000 acres of land, but due to scanty rainfall, the catchment area could collect only 14MAF water, 50 per cent less than its total capacity of 28MAF