Surat: Amid below-normal rainfall in parts of Gujarat and the possibility of water scarcity, chief ministers of four states, including Gujarat, are set to meet in Delhi on Tuesday. Union Jal Shakti minister C R Paatil on Sunday said Gujarat had offered to provide electricity generated from water or monetary compensation in exchange for water from neighbouring states to address the anticipated deficit. He said efforts were underway to ensure adequate water for the upcoming rabi crop season.Speaking at an event in Surat in the presence of chief minister Bhupendra Patel and state agriculture minister Jitu Vaghani, Paatil said the chief minister would visit Delhi, likely on Tuesday, to meet his counterparts from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan to discuss Gujarat’s water requirements.“I can assure you in advance that the necessary water will be secured to address the water deficit in Gujarat,” Paatil said, adding that the CM had proposed offering either electricity generated from the water or monetary compensation in return for the supply.Paatil said he had spoken to Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav on Saturday and informed him about a letter received from Gujarat govt seeking a decision by Tuesday. The Madhya Pradesh CM had agreed to the proposal, he said.“If we finalise this by Tuesday, the concerns shared by the chief minister and agriculture minister regarding the provision of water for the rabi crop could potentially be resolved,” said Paatil, the MP from Navsari.Paatil further said the prevailing water shortage was due to El Niño, a global climate phenomenon associated with variations in winds and sea surface temperatures.“Given the current water situation caused by ‘El Niño’, Gujarat is perhaps in a better position compared to other states. Gujarat’s chief minister is actively pushing to secure water allocations from other states as well,” he said.Paatil also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for the construction of 1.55 crore rainwater harvesting structures across the country.As per the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) report as of Sept 3, Gujarat received 94.8% of its average monsoon rainfall this year, amounting to 584.4 mm.Rainfall remained uneven in Saurashtra, Kutch and parts of north Gujarat. Devbhumi Dwarka received only 5.5% of its average rainfall, while Porbandar recorded 18.1%, Jamnagar 28.9% and Kutch 86.3%, according to data tabled by state govt in the assembly last month.
