Gandhinagar: With several parts of Gujarat struggling with a delayed and deficient monsoon, state govt on Wednesday shifted into precautionary mode, directing officials to reserve water for drinking purposes and closely monitor the evolving situation. Chairing a cabinet review meeting, CM Bhupendra Patel instructed the administration to prioritise potable water supplies, even as concerns mounted over sowing losses in rain-deficient districts.More than half of the state’s 206 reservoirs are below 25% capacity, officials said during the meeting.The cabinet undertook a detailed review of the state’s water availability following below-normal rainfall across several regions. Officials from the water resources department presented the status of storage in major reservoirs, including Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam, and briefed the cabinet on the availability of water through the canal network.“The chief minister stressed that drinking water must be accorded top priority. Water from Narmada dam and canal network should be managed in a manner that ensures there are no complaints of drinking water shortage anywhere in the state,” a senior govt official said after the meeting.The review comes as the monsoon has remained patchy across Gujarat, with only parts of Saurashtra and South Gujarat receiving sufficient rainfall while large areas of northern, central and eastern Gujarat continue to face a rainfall deficit.Officials said the agriculture department has been asked to conduct a survey to assess crop losses caused by the delayed monsoon. Farmers in many districts had completed sowing operations, anticipating that the rains would arrive on schedule. However, the prolonged dry spell after sowing has raised concerns over germination and the survival of standing crops in several areas.The govt will closely track both reservoir levels and rainfall over the coming days before taking any further decisions on water management or relief measures, officials said.
