Gujarat river linking project will adversely impact Maharashtra

Jalchintan Sanstha has alleged that Gujarat has already prepared a project report on damming water from Nashik’s rivers and the state government is helping in this endeavour. Jalchintan Sanstha President Rajendra Jadhav told The Asian Age that Gujarat’s actions will deprive Maharashtra of its future claims to water from rivers that are not dammed and flow into the sea near Daman.

“The National Water Development Agency has prepared a project report on linking of Par, Tapi, and Narmada rivers on August 25 and sent it to the Maharashtra government for sanction. This report has been sent to the Central Designs’ Organisation (CDO) in Nashik for checking. The project envisages taking 21 out of 29 TMC available water for Kutch and Saurashtra regions,” Mr Jadhav said. He alleged that CDO officials are being pressurised to sanction the report. He further said that on Monday, CM Devendra Fadnavis and state water resources minister Girish Mahajan met Union water resources minister Uma Bharati in Delhi and they discussed the river linking scheme which also includes Pinjal and Damanganga.

“If this project is passed, Maharashtra will be able to claim only 8 TMC water,” said Mr Jadhav and appealed to the people of northern Maharashtra to stop the move. “We will first ask the state government to not give permission and if it does not oblige, we will file a PIL in the high court. This water, if dammed by state, will benefit many tehsils in Nashik and also Jalgaon District. Presently, there is a regional dispute between Nashik and Ahmednagar and Aurangabad over the Jayakwadi water. The water from Damanganga, Nar and Par rivers will help alleviate the problem,” said Mr Jadhav.