AHMEDABAD: Winds of change are blowing over Kutch. With rain gods smiling on the arid district for the past three years, experts say Kutch may not have to face water shortage the next couple of years.

The average rainfall of the past three years has been much higher than that in the last 100 years during which Kutch remained more or less dry. “The average rainfall of last 100 years was only 350 mm but in the last three years, Kutch has received about 450 mm of rainfall,” informs Jaipal Singh, chief executive officer (CEO), WASMO. 

If experts are to be believed, Kutch has little to worry for at least the next two years. “The three consecutive rainfalls have filled almost all the check dams and rainwater harvesting wells in the region. Considering the recharge at the surface level, Kutch has received sufficient water for agriculture and domestic purposes for at least the next two years,” Singh says.

Kutch has around 250 check dams of small and medium sizes and almost all were filled up in the last spell of rain.“These check dams can store almost 57 lakh cubic metres of rainwater and in the last two years, there has been a sustained increase of almost 17-18 metres in the water table also,” says Singh.

Last year, Kutch received a total average rainfall of 577 mm while this year till July the rainfall was around 474 mm. 2004 was a lean period with only 223 mm of rain which shot up to 452 mm in 2005. Last year (2006), the maximum rainfall was received in Bhuj taluka - 563 mm - while this year till July 558 mm of rainfall was recorded there.

Courtesy:Daily News & Analysis - Mumbai,India