Despite the poor rainfall in state this monsoon, people will not face any drinking water crisis during the remaining part of the year, said Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Thursday. Stating that there has been a shortfall in rainfall, Patel said there was adequate water available in the Sardar Sarovar dam on the river Narmada to meet the drinking water requirements of the state for an entire year. More than four crore people on the state depend on the Narmada for their drinking water needs, the state government stated in an official release here. Patel said the command area of Narmada dam that falls in Madhya Pradesh has also seen less rainfall and so the water availability in the dam is less. Despite this, the government has reserved water for drinking water needs of the state and is giving water to farmers for irrigation purposes through the canal network. The water level in Narmada dam on Thursday was 115.75 meters. Gujarat is staring at a massive water crisis, as rainfall during the monsoon so far has fallen short by over 50 percent. The Indian Express has reported that against an average inflow of 17000 cusecs, the dam is releasing 12000 cusecs for irrigation and drinking water needs. The state government has earlier decided to give 10 hour electricity supply to farmers who are using water from tubewell for irrigation.
