Rajkot: For the first time in decades, Saurashtra’s two major cities – Rajkot and Jamnagar – are grappling with a major drinking water crisis in peak monsoon.The situation has forced both municipal corporations to seek water from Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Yojana. The scheme was primarily conceived to divert surplus Narmada water for irrigation in the region.Till July 25, Rajkot has received only 251mm (28.95%) of seasonal rainfall, while last year it recorded 432mm rainfall in the same period. Jamnagar got 111mm (13.25%) rainfall till July 25 while last year the city received 301 mm rainfall.Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has sought 800 million cubic feet (Mcft) of water under the SAUNI scheme, and water has already started reaching the Aji and Nyari dams.
CJP Jantar Mantar Protest Updates
“Generally, we do not demand water under the SAUNI scheme during the monsoon because the dams and rivers are expected to fill naturally. This year is different,” said KP Dethariya, water works officer of RMC. “We have sufficient water stock till Aug 15, and we hope the region receives good rainfall before then,” he added.RMC currently supplies around 430 million litres per day (MLD) of drinking water. Of this, 135 MLD comes through the Narmada pipeline, while about 140 MLD each is drawn from the Aji and Nyari reservoirs. Another 40 MLD is sourced from the Bhadar reservoir, whose remaining storage has been reserved primarily for rural areas around Rajkot.Jamnagar Municipal Corporation (JMC) has already switched from daily to alternate-day drinking water supply over the past three weeks because of dwindling water reserves. Jamnagar, which depends on the Aji, Sasoi, Und and Ranjitsagar reservoirs for its drinking water supply, has also sought 550 Mcft of water under the SAUNI scheme to replenish its reservoirs.“We are less dependent on Narmada water because of our own water resources and the good rainfall we usually receive. However, this year, because of the delayed monsoon, we have sought water under the SAUNI scheme,” said Deepesh Kedia, municipal commissioner of JMC. Jamnagar’s requirement is 150 MLD.
