Gujarat minister writes to Rajasthan govt over its plans to build two dams

Amid a row over reports suggesting that Congress-ruled Rajasthan is planning to build two dams upstream of the Dharoi dam, the Gujarat government has registered its protests saying the project would violate a water-sharing agreement.

Gujarat Water Resources Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya told reporters on Friday he has written to the Rajasthan government over its plans to build dams on Sabarmati and Sei rivers near the border of both states. Concerns have been expressed that if such a plan is implemented, the Dharoi dam won't get any water.

According to Bavaliya, Rajasthan should adhere to the water-sharing agreement signed when Dharoi dam on Sabarmati river was built in Mehsana district of Gujarat over 40 years ago.

While Sabarmati river originates from Rajasthan, Sei river is a tributary which eventually merges with Sabarmati before it enters north Gujarat, where Dharoi dam is situated.

Water should be distributed as per the water treaty signed by both states in the past, said the minister.

Now, it appears that Rajasthan is trying to divert the water by building dams upstream. We have written a letter to the Rajasthan government in this regard and also urged the Centre to see that Rajasthan does not go ahead with its plans of building dams, he said.

BJP MLA and former minister Ramanlal Vora had recently written to CM Bhupendra Patel over Rajasthan planning to build dams on Sabarmati and Sei rivers. Vora, who represents the Idar seat in Sabarkantha district, claimed that the Dharoi dam will not get any water if the two reservoirs are built in Rajasthan on Sabarmati.

Construction of a dam on Sabarmati near Dharoi village in Mehsana district commenced in 1971 and finished in 1978.

As per an agreement signed in 1971 by both the states, Rajasthan cannot build a dam till 350 kilometres from Dharoi dam. I have personally met Bavaliya and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel over this issue and urged them to take appropriate steps if these dams are being built in violation of agreement, said the senior BJP leader.

Gujarat Health minister and spokesperson of the state government, Rushikesh Patel, said the Rajasthan government cannot stop the water coming to Gujarat by building dams.

No government, be it Gujarat or Rajasthan, can build a dam in violation of the water-sharing agreement signed in the past. I had raised this issue when I was the water supply minister. No government can stop the water by building a dam in violation of a treaty signed when Dharoi dam was built, said Patel.