57 over-exploited, dark talukas in Gujarat

The state government on Friday said that there are forty over-exploited and 10 dark talukas in the state, where underground water table has fallen below the minimum desired level.

State water resources minister Nitin Patel said in a written reply to the assembly that the number of over exploited talukas in the state was 40, which included Mehsana, Visnagar, Patan, Deodar, Gandhinagar, Dehgam, Ankleshwar, Sanand, Idar, Dascroi, Vadodara, among others.

Replying to a question by Congress MLA from Bhadran, Dhirsinh Parmar, Patel also revealed that Palanpur, Amirgadh, Dantiwada, Dhanera, Deesa, Meghraj, Modasa, Dholka, Porbandar and Mangrol were the ten talukas classified as dark talukas.

He also informed the assembly that salinity ingress was higher in the underground water in seven talukas, viz. Vav, Santalpur, Radhanpur, Sami, Harij, Malia and Lakhtar.

The talukas have been classified in their respective categories for the past many years. The government has placed certain restrictions on fetching groundwater in the dark zone areas.

The minister stated in the reply that the government has initiated steps such as building checkdams in such talukas to recharge groundwater tables. Efforts are also being made to conserve water.

"The talukas will be re-classified depending upon the improvement in the underground water levels according to central government guidelines," he added.