Narmada officials rush to plug water leakage in Little Rann

The Times of India: Ahmedabad: Tuesday, December 25, 2012.

A team of officials from Narmada Water Resources department rushed to the Little Rann of Kutch a day after TOI published a report about the crores of gallons of precious water going waste in arid land from tail end of Narmada canal.

"We are checking the sources of water from where it is drained into to Little Rann and will ensure that it stops,'' superintending engineer (circle 4), Narmada distributaries, S U Chauhan said.

"We have been inspecting various sites and Narmada branch canals surrounding Little Rann and will ensure immediately that water is saved and does not enter the Little Rann anymore," Chauhan added.

The overflowing waters have marooned close to 280 saltpans, adversely affecting the sole source of income for hundreds of salt pan workers. They said that that the sweet water will make the process of salt harvesting very difficult now.

The water spread over at least 22 km area has also submerged the crucial corridor of the endangered wild asses in the famous sanctuary.

Another Narmada department official said that they would ensure that farmers who get water from the branch canals through drains do not waste it after their farms are irrigated.