Gomda is part of a much bigger picture of happiness. So far, 1.2 lakh hectares of land in the districts of Narmada, Bharuch, Vadodara, Panchmahals and Mehsana have been brought under irrigation through a network of 10,470-km long canals.

When the entire stretch of canal network measuring 85,898 km is complete, it would irrigate 18 lakh hectares of land, covering 3,112 villages in 15 districts of Gujarat, besides 2.46 lakh hectares in Barmer and Jalore districts of Rajasthan.

SSNL chairman-cum-managing director PK Laheri says more than 90 per cent of the main Narmada canals and 70 per cent of the branch canals have already been completed, only the minor canals remain. Though the total water carrying capacity of the Narmada canal is 40,000 cusecs (10,000 crore litres) per day, only 2,500 cusecs of water is released. According to SSNNL officials, the entire canal network is likely to be completed by 2010.

Of the 2,500 cusecs being released since 2001, a major portion is being utilised for supplying drinking water to 57 towns and 2,044 villages, besides recharging seasonal rivers and village ponds on route of the canal.

So far, 21 rivers, including Sabarmati in Ahmedabad and Mahi near Vadodara, have been filled by Narmada waters, bringing about ecological changes and reducing temperatures. Other important rivers that have been recharged en route the canal are Maan, Heran, Karad, Kun, Vatrak, Meswa, Saraswati and Banas. About 616 village ponds were also filled up by Narmada waters.

During 1986-88, when Saurashtra region witnessed a severe drought, Gujarat had spent Rs 750 crore for running ‘‘water special’’ trains to supply drinking water to these areas. ‘‘Water special trains in Gujarat have now become a thing of the past,’’ said Laheri.

... contd.