Recently Shri Sharad Pawar and Shri Jairam Ramesh, the two of the prominent UPA ministers visited state of Gujarat to check on drought like condition in Gujarat and have a dialogue with Hon. C.M. of Gujarat Shri Narendra Modi regarding the help from center.
Shri Narendra Modi, though his state suffering from acute drought, offered center to supply their surplus electricity for power deficient states and in return demanded additional supply of gas. Shri Sharad Pawar was immensely impressed with Gujarat’s irrigation and distribution of water.
But,
This is not the breaking news of this piece.
The motive behind propagating this subject is God’s mercy, a bit late no doubt on certain states like Uttarakhand, Kerala, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh etc. where rain God has been favorable. Maharashtra and Gujarat have been unfortunate in this and the scarcity of drinking water as well as fodder is hitting hard.
Heavy rains over river Narmada in Madhya Pradesh, has brought additional water supply in Sardar Sarovar dam over Narmada in Gujarat. While I write this pic, the Sardar Sarovar is overflowing.
And,
That would lessen the gravity of scarcity of drinking water.
But,
This does not permit us to rejoice because till last 12 years, rain God had been delighted with India and hence, drought like conditions hardly existed. That does not allow us, to relax and be completely dependent on rain flow and not possess sufficient man-made devices to conquer the situation.
§ The height of Sardar Sarovar has been controversial issue since long.
§ In February 1999, the Supreme Court of India gave the go ahead for the dam's height to be raised to 88 m (289 ft) from the initial 80 m (260 ft).
§ In October 2000 again, in a 2 to 1 majority judgment in the Supreme Court, the government was allowed to construct the dam up to 90 m (300 ft).[9]
§ In May 2002, the Narmada Control Authority approved increasing the height of the dam to 95 m (312 ft).
§ In March 2004, the Authority allowed a 15 m (49 ft) height increase to 110 m (360 ft).
§ In March 2006, the Narmada Control Authority gave clearance for the height of the dam to increased from 110.64 m (363.0 ft) to 121.92 m (400.0 ft). This came after 2003 when the Supreme Court of India refused allow the height of the dam to increase again.
§ Recently, the height of dam is128 m.
The Gujarat Govt. had demanded to put up flood-gates over existing height of Sardar Sarovar dam. These flood-gates would have increased the height of dam by 10 m.enabled the existing 280 sq. km. lake to be increased in over 400 sq.km and this additional accumulation of water could easily irrigate and supply water to far off lands of Saurashtra and Kutch.
The issue of rehabilitation was raised by “Narmada Bachao Andolan” and Medha Patkar, but eventually the rehabilitation of people concerned has been successfully done. Actually, it is inevitable and water supply reaching to far off land is much larger issue than few thousand, if has to vacate their land and rehabilitate. Thus, the central Govt.’s unnecessary obdurate conduct is nothing but loss to common man. Shri Narendra Modi’s commitment and vision has somewhat eradicated this folly of center’s behavior. The water amass reaches the far off corner of the state through motor pumps but the cost incur is turning out to be steep.
Gujarat Govt. has been fervently negotiating with center to grant this floodgates but probably lack of understanding of severity of situation or indifference towards Gujarat’s demand or further still, political calculations to not allow a gain to Team Gujarat...Whatever may be the case, but finally the sufferer is Common man of Gujarat..
And,
The central UPA Govt. is entirely to be blamed....
No comments:
Post a Comment