Narmada waters for Auda areas by year-end

Water supply minister Narottam Patel said here on Thursday that the western parts of Ahmedabad and Auda areas right up to Sarkhej will start receiving the Narmada waters from December through the Kotarpur off-take point. The eastern parts of Ahmedabad will continue receiving water from the Raska Wier.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference Mr. Patel said the entire Auda belt is receiving water with a very high flouride content of not less than 2.5 mg.

Water supply secretary R.K. Tripathi said the problem is worse in Sarkhej where the flouride level is between 3.5 to 5 mg. "The supply of the Narmada water will ease the problem of the flouride-water considerably in the Western parts and Auda areas in Ahmedabad.. Mr. Patel said the situation in Ahmedabad can only get better.

When asked about the water problems in Gandhinagar Mr Patel said Gandhinagar will also be supplied the Naramda water througb an off take point and a project of Rs. 50 crores has been planned for the purpose.

Meanwhile, giving details of the water distribution through the Narmada water Mr Tnipathi said one tenth of the water will be directly used for drinking purposes while the rest will be used for agriculture and industry.

When asked about the cost of supplying water of the Narmada through pipelines to the Saurashtra region Mr. Tripathi said Rs 32 crores have been spent. for the construction of pumps, sumps and the pipelines including the power costs. But the net cost will come to Rs 12 crores as material worth Rs 20 crores is reusable.

When asked about the problems of distribution at the local level Mr Patel said the job of setting up the necessary network for the supply of water at the local level is that of the local governing bodies such as the municipalities.

"There have been problems due to corrosion of pipelines or the lack of a proper network at the local level but the state government is. working to resolve them," Mr. Patel said.

When asked about the electricity costs for supplying the Narmada water Mr. Tripathi said Rs 1.2 crores to Rs 2 crores are being spent each month for the supply of water through the pumps. Mr Tripathi said the state government is making efforts to resolving the. problem of repetitive costs incurred through supply of water through tankers and other short-term measures and have concentrated on the Narmada to find a permanent solution to the problems.

On a question on water trains Mr. Tripathi said water is being supplied to Rajula and Mahua through trains and the, state government has incurred a cost of Rs 1.5 crores for the construction of pumps,. sumps, electrification and filling points for the purpose.

Republished from The Asian Age