3,918 villages affected by water scarcity: Gujarat govt

However, Congress deemed it as a last minute face-saving exercise

The Gujarat government on Tuesday declared that 3,918 villages in 10 districts of the state were either scarcity-hit or were partially affected by scarcity of water and fodder for cattle. It further informed the state assembly that various measures like providing water, fodder for cattle and employment to farmers whose crops have failed, were being undertaken in the affected areas.

Revenue minister Anandi Patel on Tuesday informed the house that her department had sought status of khari crops this season from 10 district collectors. Their reports covering 69 talukas in 10 districts showed that as many as 939 villages were scarcity-hit while 2,979 villages were partially hit by scarcity of water, fodder and food, the minister said.

This announcement came immediately after the all members of the opposition Congress were suspended for the day for seeking discussion on drinking water problem in the state. The Opposition termed the announcement of scarcity-hit villages as "very late one" describing it as a "face saving exercise."  

"The government knew that we were to raise the issue of water scarcity today in the House and hence as a face saving exercise, it on the last moment, added a supplementary agenda in today's proceedings and hastily made a statement on it," Leader of Opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela told reporters outside the Assembly.

In the past, whenever a scarcity was declared in any area, the whole taluka was declared scarcity hit, "but surprisingly for the first time this government has declared selected villages of a taluka as scarcity hit areas," Vaghela said.

According to the statement of the minister 135 village in Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar, followed by 133 villages in Una, Amreli and 100 villages in Jamnagar district, were some of the worst affected villages.

Out of the 10 districts surveyed include six are from Saurashtra region (Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Porbandear,Amreli and Bhavnagar), two from North Gujarat (Patan and Banaskantha), Kutch and Ahmedabad.

Vaghela further said in a statement that Gujarat government was doing injustice to the people by not seeking assistance or relief from the Central government for the scarcity-hit villages.

"Ten days ago I had met Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, he asked why wasn't Gujarat making representation on water scarcity in the state," Vaghela said.

He said that the Union government has already declared 17 district of Gujarat as drought affected and sanctioned over Rs  760 crore as relief from the disaster relief fund.

"But today the government has declared villages on only 10 districts as scarcity-hit. They have not declared seven other districts as affected. By doing this the state government has done injustice to the poor farmers of those districts," Vaghela claimed.

He further claimed that there are many tribal villages of south Gujarat which are facing severe water and fodder scarcity. "Government is doing injustice to the poor tribals of the state," he added.