Modi Sends Senior Babus To Check Situation Gandhinagar:Gujarat’s powerful officialdom is on the run following mounting drinking water problem in Saurashtra and Kutch, especially their major towns and villages. Knowing well that it may become a major poll issue in the forthcoming assembly elections, scheduled late this year, chief minister Narendra Modi ordered senior babus of the state water resources and Narmada departments to immediately rush to the spots where water was being supplied to the two regions, and set things right. Alarge contingent of Sachivalaya babus – led additional chief secretary (home) Varesh Sinha, who is tipped to be the next chief secretary, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) managing director S Jagadeesan and principal secretary (water supply) HK Dash – left to inspect the spots in Surendranagar district, where hundreds of million litres per day (MLD) water was being illegally siphoned off by farmers straight from the Narmada canal, which became the main reason for shortage. “As against 506 MLD of water receivable from the Narmada branch canal running between Dhanki and Malia, the Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB) was getting just 179 MLD for supplying water to Saurashtra-Kutch,” a senior official conceded, adding, “The problem, which began in Mayend, continued piling up as farmers were being freely allowed to draw water, as this is an election year, without realizing that it may affect drinking water supply.” The official further said, “Kutch, which should get 170 MLD, was getting just 79 MLD, while Rajkot and Jamnagar, which together should get 280 MLD, were getting 100 MLD.” He added the problem further aggravated as the tile industry in Morbi and the enterprises which have cropped up on way to Kutch from Maliya “have begun large-scale theft of drinking water for industrial use.” A top official, who continued to be in Surendranagar till Monday, claimed that the situation is “now under control”. As many as 21 teams of engineers are currently working overnight to remove the pumps, laid straight into the canal, to draw Narmada waters, 72 State Reserve Police jawans have been put on round-the-clock duty to ensure that the pumps do not reappear. “We have also deployed 45 jeeps, 12 JCBs, 12 tractors apart from workers to remove the pumps. In all, 365 pumps have been removed in the100 km stretch. Already, on Monday, 260 MLD of water was being supplied, which will reach 350 MLD on Tuesday,” the senior official recounted, adding, “An annual problem, it is being set right permanently. Drinking water pipelines along the Narmada branch are being laid for diverting Narmada waters to Saurashtra and Kutch towns and villages*.”