Patel urges NGOs to take up Gujarat water management

Organised by the GSFC Science Foundation and the Saurashtra Maitri Manch, a forum of NGOs, the seminar aimed to discuss ways to optimise water utilisation and increase agricultural production.

Admitting that the improper use of water was one of the administration’s biggest headaches, Patel said the Government alone would not be able to solve the problem. He urged NGOs to play an important role, inviting their suggestions and concrete programmes.

Despite the shortage, the resource continued to be misused, Patel said, allegingthat agriculture in Kheda and South Gujarat used up more water than necessary. He suggested adoption of foreign technologies to Indian conditions for the desired results.

Highlighting the need for a water and agriculture-oriented campaign, Foundation executive director M H Mehta said “Gujarat needs such a campaign” as the Sardar Sarovar Project would leave many parts of the state untouched.

Both micro- and macro-level planning needed to be given equal importance, Mehta said, adding the 17 rivers in South Gujarat, 70 in Saurashtra and 100 in Kutch had to be utilised in the best possible manner.

Earlier, GSFC chairman K D Jeswani said India still had not been able to utilise the available water resources. Underlining the need to make up the damage to environment, he said NGOs could play an important role in the agriculture and water management sectors.

He said the GSFC was working on a technique to utilise agro-industrial waste and it would be put into application shortly.

During the seminar, thechief minister released a directory of NGOs brought out by the SMM.