Water thieves to face the music, warns government

The state government plans to take strict against pilferage of Narmada water from canals. In the wake of complaints about insufficient drinking water supply in Rajkot, Morbi, Kutch and Jamnagar districts, the government initiated a probe which found some farmers were pilfering water from the main canals of Narmada near Dhrangadhra and Halvad towns in Surendrangar.

The government has formed nine teams of SRP jawans to take action against such farmers. 

Sources in government said, “The 131-km-long Malia branch canal and 122-km-long Dhrangadhra branch canal were supplying water to these four districts. We supply 850 mn cubic feet water every day through these two canals, but the regions at the farthest end hardly received 100 mn cubic feet water and, sometimes, not even a drop. On investigation, we found some farmers had installed pumps at canals.”

Sources said the farmers were selling water to other farmers and industries. “We have decided to take actions against these farmers. We will also repair the canals and stop providing water to those farmers as punishment,” added a source.  The state government also plans to assess the entire network now to check for water theft elsewhere.