Narmada Pradushan Nivaran Samiti, a non-government organization, has written to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, urging it to take steps to save Narmada river. The low level of water in the downstream is affecting the river’s ecosystem and threatening the livelihood of people. Narmada Pradushan Nivaran Samiti president Jayesh Patel told TNN, “Sardar Sarovar Dam authorities are releasing less quantity of water despite several representations to them by the local MP, MLAs, NGOs, farmers and fishermen.” “We have referred to the report of the United Kingdom’s HR Wallingford, an independent civil engineering and environmental hydraulics organization, which had recommended release of 28.3 cumecs (1,100 cusecs) from the dam to maintain the flow of the river in the downstream and to bring to life the estuary as well. The dam authorities had released very less water last year. There was shortage of potable water and irrigation too was affected because of this. Narmada has turned into a salt pan as saline water of the sea now reaches up to Kabirwad.” The letter to the Union environment minister has demanded a cumulative impact assessment study by experts and scientists to save Narmada’s ecosystem. Patel warned of an agitation by farmers and other stakeholders if nothing was done on the demand by his organization to save Narmada’s ecosystem.
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