Activists lambast Modi for politicising water scarcity issue

Say Gujarat chief minister making false claims on Kalpasar, Narmada dam projects

Social activists in Gujarat on Tuesday lambasted Chief Minister Narendra Modi for taking political mileage out of drought situation in Saurashtra region and making false claims on hydro projects like Narmada dam and the ambitious Kalpasar project which is still on drawing board.

The activists were irked specifically by the statements made by Modi during couple of his recent public addresses in water scarcity hit Saurashtra region.

"The chief minister is playing with people's emotions by making false claims on mega-hydro projects like Kalpasar and Narmada dam," alleged veteran activist Indukumar Jani.

"Modi had announced formation of Gujarat Water Regulatory Authority in February 2012. But till date the body has not come into existence. He (Modi) and his minsters have been claiming that there was no problem in availability of water and fodder in Saurashtra region. This is a white lie," Jani said.

He further added that Modi was using the water scarcity issue to gain political milage and for cheap propaganda.

"In a recent, public address in Rajkot, Modi claimed that the feasibility report on the (Rs 50,000 crore) Kalpasar project was 80% over and his government would soon float Rs 4,000 crore tender for Bhadbhut barrage near Bharuch which will like Kalpasar with Narmada water reservoir," said environmental activist Mahesh Pandya, adding that CM was harping on a project whose pre-feasibility report was yet not completed.

"Being a mega project Kalpasar requires environment clearance. But, the CM is taking political advantage of people ignorance and making false claims during public addresses. How, can one float tender for a project whose pre-feasibility report was not ready, let alone environment clearance?" Pandya asked.

At a time when most parts of Gujarat are facing severe scarcity of water and fodder, CM should not make claims that gives false hopes to people, he added.

"Modi's talks on Narmada and Kalpasar project is like mirage in the desert. The CM keeps blaming the Central government for Narmada project, whereas the fact is that Central government has nothing to do with decision making in Narmada Project, it is the Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal," said another activist Gautam Thakar, who is associated with People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).

While, Modi keeps on blaming centre of Narmada project, but fact that only 30% of canal network of the project is complete shows that CM is lying to people of the state when he claims that it is because of Central government that access water of Narmada river during monsoon was being wasted, he said.