BHUBANESWAR: While Opposition parties are crying foul over largescale diversion of water for industries, the current industrial demand for water in the State is only 4.2 per cent of the annual average flow. The State Government has signed memoranda of understanding with 86 industries while water has been allocated to 45 industries. The total allocation of water to the 45 units is 1,214.26 cusecs. But these industries have drawn 126.49 cusecs of water which is 11.2 per cent of the total allocation. The 26 steel plants which have gone into either trial or commercial production have drawn 68.82 cusecs of water against the allocation of 614 cusecs. Water drawn from the river by four aluminium projects was 54.9 cusecs as against 138.87 cusecs allotted to them. Thirteen independent power projects signed MoUs in the first phase. But not a single project has come up yet. Over 456 cusecs of water have been allocated to the IPPs. The water utilisation last year was one cusec. Even the irrigation demand of the State is less than 15 per cent of the annual average flow in 11 major river systems and the total water demand of the State including domestic and environmental needs is 23.4 per cent. Nearly 77 per cent of the available water goes to the sea, said a report of the Water Resources Department. Considering the topography and geographical limitations, 75 per cent of the average annual flow can be utilised. According to an estimate of the department, on an average 48.73 billion cubic meter (BCM) water is available annually in the Mahanadi basin. However, the irrigation demand on the basin is 7.66 BCM which is 15.7 per cent of the total availability. The total use of surface water in the Mahanadi river basin is 24.5 per cent. The irrigation demand in the Rushikulya river basin is 41 per cent of the annual surface water available while the demand is 28 per cent in Baitarani basin and 10 per cent in Brahmani basin. However, the industrial demand for water in Brahmani basin is 10 per cent in view of the large number of steel projects and independent power plants coming up in Sundergarh, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal districts. It has come to the notice of the Government that 15 industries were drawing water unauthorised from different rivers and penalty to the tune of Rs 2 crore was collected during 200910.