According to the UN World Water Development Report 2014, Gujarat is one of most water-starved states in the country. The prime reason for the water scarcity in Gujarat is groundwater delpletion owing to the unsustainable use of water for agriculture purposes. The state government's policies of free groundwater and subsidised electricity to pump it have encouraged farmers to use more water in Gujarat, which is already a dry state.
Surat Municipal Corporation will provide nearly 40 million litres per day (MLD) of recycled water to over 110 textile units in the GIDC industrial area in Surat, Gujarat, by the end of this month. With this, GIDC will become the first industrial unit in the country to use recycled water for processing unfinished fabrics. Currently, the textile processing units at Surat are using 60 MLD of potable water from the Tapi river at a cost of Rs 23 per kilolitre while the recycled water will be provided at the rate of Rs 19 per kilolitre.
The South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP) has requested Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to withdraw controversial irrigation projects Nardawe in Sindhudurg, Ar-Kacheri and Alewadi in Buldhana districts near Melghat Tiger Reserve, which have been cleared by the state wildlife board. All the three projects have been cleared in violation of Supreme Court directives and the Wildlife & Environment Protection Acts, claims SANDRP.
The National Environment and Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has suggested that the civic bodies of Kolhapur and Ichalkaranji in Maharashtra decentralize the water treatment systems, in order to prevent pollution in the Panchaganga river. It has also recommended the redesign of all the nullahs in Kolhapur to prevent floating matter from entering into the river. NEERI has made these suggestions following the directions from the Bombay High Court to prepare a comprehensive report on issues pertaining to pollution in the Panchganga river.
The Government had laid tubewells in Goa's Keri village as a temporary measure to improve the drinking water supply, but this has led to the depletion of groundwater in the area. The natural springs, which usually had water even in May, ran dry in February itself. Also, only 4 of the 10 tubewells installed in the village are working. Even the water that is supplied in the village through the tube wells is not potable as it has high turbidity, rusted metallic particles and emits a foul smell, claims one of the villagers.
This is a weekly roundup of important news from April 6-12, 2014. Also read last week's policy matters updates.