Inadequate rains in river basin will be a double whammy for SSP command area, which is rain deficient this year
Narmada river is termed as the lifeline of mostly drought-prone Gujarat as the dams built on it are expected to compensate the water shortfall in the state.
The areas in the state entitled to Narmada water for irrigation are deficient in rains this year and, therefore, the supply from Narmada canal will be critical for crops at least in kharif and rabi season, feel farmers' representatives.
However, with storage of water decreasing in Narmada basin, farmer leaders are worried if the river will live up to being the proverbial lifeline of the state. Government authorities rule out the possibility of getting the full quota of water as per original plans but feel that storage in the basin, and consequently Gujarat's quota, will increase in 2018 compared to 2017.
Water from dams on the river is expected to irrigate 18.45 lakh hectare in the command area. However, districts which constitute the command area of the river basin project have been raining deficient so far. This include of Ahmedabad (278 mm, 39%), Gandhinagar (305 mm, 39%), Banaskantha (207 mm, 33%), Surendranagar (244 mm, 42%), Patan (182 mm, 30), Mehsana (248 mm, 33%) and Kutch (109 mm, 26%).
"This means that farmers in these districts will rely more on Narmada water for irrigation. If there is not enough water from Narmada canal, it will be a major crisis," said Sagar Rabari, secretary of Gujarat Khedut Samaj.
However, authorities in Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) say that supply of water from Narmada basin to Gujarat will be higher than what was available in 2017. Narmada basin is estimated to have storage of 28 million acre-feet (MAF). With 32% share in river water, Gujarat is entitled to 9 MAF. However, recent data suggest that storage in the river basin is getting depleted because of decreased rains in the catchment area of the river.
According to sources in Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL), the storage in 2017 was 15.76 MAF and Gujarat received 5.06 MAF. "The storage in major dams on Narmada river is over 10.5 MAF till now. Major dams constitute 60% of total storage. So there is additional water in minor and medium dams on the river as well," said a top official of SSNNL. With September and October still left, he expects that there would be enough water for rest of the year. "We will not get 28 MAF water in the basin but the storage will be certainly higher than what it was in 2017," he said.
However, Rabari is not so optimistic. "Rainfall, and consequently the storage in the river basin, in decreasing. Moreover, Gujarat will have to refill 0.35 MAF water it had used from bypass tunnel in 2017. So that much water will not be available for use this year. With rainfall deficient in the command area of Narmada project, reduced supply from Narmada project will most likely create a grim scenario," he said.
DEPLETING LIFELINE
Total Expected Storage
28 MAF
Gujarat’s share in Narmada basin
9 MAF
Storage in basin in 2017
15.74 MAF
Share of Gujarat in 2017
5.06 MAF
Storage in major dams of basin till date in 2018
10.5 MAF
Estimated share of Gujarat as per current storage
5.60 MAF
60
Share of major dams in total storage in basin
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