The dam is only 37% full at the moment and needs to start supplying water for irrigation in 5 days
With sowing season just five days away, the state government is under severe pressure as the Narmada catchment area has been hit by a scarcity of rainfall once again. The Sardar Sarovar dam is filled at 37% of its full capacity at the moment, of which total water that can be utilised is around 23%. The data received on July 10 reveals that 3142.06 million cubic metre (MCM) water is stored in Narmada at present.
Madhya Pradesh government has been releasing only 25 MCM water per day for the past one week as prescribed because there was no fresh inflow of water reported in the catchment area. As compared to the data of the same date last year, there is 815 MCM less water in the dam. Around 100 MCM water was received daily during this period last year.
A senior office bearer in the state government said, "If Madhya Pradesh would have received good rainfall in Narmada's catchment, the water income reported in the dam would have been considerably higher. That had happened last year when monsoon arrived earlier. Everything depends on what nature holds now. If the same situation continues, it would get really difficult for us."
"From July 15, the official sowing season starts, and the government is expected to supply water for irrigation. However, with no income of fresh water in the dam, we will be compelled to stop the supply, as providing drinking water is our first priority. Unfortunately, the other dams in the state are also not full, so we can't even supply water from those," the office bearer added.
There 33.5% water in the dam a month ago, which stood at 33.2% on May 31. This indicates that the water available in the dam is the same as that in the summer. Now, even if we consider water stored in the other dams in Gujarat, only 18% usable water remains.
Gujarat government will be able to heave a sigh of relief only if there is sufficient rainfall in the next five days. The government is mostly concerned about crops which require more water, such as paddy and sugarcane. The state plans to persuade farmers to cultivate crops that require less water.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sardar Sarovar Dam")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}