Once upon a time, water had to be sent to Saurashtra by train from Sabarmati, and today...

(Utkarsh Patel)

There was a time in our Gujarat when water from Sabarmati had to be filled in trains and delivered to Saurashtra. In 1986, when Saurashtra was hit by an incessant drought, even the water sources in big cities like Rajkot dried up. The lives of lakhs of people were stranded without water. Agriculture dried up, animals started dying and families were forced to migrate. At that time, trains filled with water from the Sabarmati area of ​​Ahmedabad would reach Rajkot station. Thousands of people would gather to see this 'water train' carrying about 3.7 lakh liters of water. Hearing the whistle of the train, tears of joy would come to people's eyes. But this was a temporary solution. The shortage of water was increasing day by day and the soil of Saurashtra was thirsty.

If we were to describe the situation then, it would seem like a tragic memory. The villages of Saurashtra faced drought every year. Wells, ponds and dams would dry up. Women would walk for kilometers to fetch water. Farmers' crops would wither. Animal husbandry would become impossible. This situation reached its peak in the 1980s and 1990s. There was talk of shifting the population to cities like Rajkot. Life without water was impossible. At that time, no one knew that one day this Saurashtra would be filled with the nectar of water.

But the talk of development started when the BJP government and its visionary leaders gave priority to the issue of water. Keshubhai Patel's name is at the forefront here. The far-sighted steps that Keshubhai Patel took as Chief Minister are still worthy of praise today. He gave impetus to the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Yojana. He built thousands of check dams and ponds under the Sardar Patel Jal Sanchay Sahaghi Yojana. He did water conservation work in collaboration with the Jaldhara Trust. Under the leadership of Keshubhai Patel, the BJP government planned the Mahi Canal and Narmada Canal pipeline projects for the development of Saurashtra Kutch. The projects he laid the foundation for in 2000 are providing nectar in the form of water to Saurashtra today. This journey would have been impossible without Keshubhai Patel's foresight and tireless efforts. He must be praised significantly, he was a leader who understood the thirst of Saurashtra and paved the way for its solution.

Then came Narendrabhai Modi. His contribution as Chief Minister and today as Prime Minister is incredible. Narendrabhai made Keshubhai Patel's dream a reality. After 2001, he increased the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam and accelerated the work of delivering Narmada water to Saurashtra. SAUNI scheme (Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation Scheme) is his biggest gift. Under this scheme, Narmada water was filled in 115 small and big dams and lakes of Saurashtra through 1126 km long pipelines. Dams like Aaji, Uprai, Dhori are now overflowing with Narmada water. Lakhs of acres of land got irrigated. Farmers' crops increased. The yield of groundnut, cotton and other agricultural products increased. With the continuous commitment of the BJP government and the unwavering hard work of Narendrabhai Modi, the water network in Saurashtra expanded. As the Prime Minister, he provided tap water to every household through various schemes. Today, there is no shortage of water in the villages of Saurashtra. A new story of development has been written with drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting and the expansion of the Narmada Canal.

If we compare the situation today with that time, we can see a huge difference. If we had to wait for a train for water then, today water flows to each and every house to house and farm. Agriculture is now developed in Saurashtra. Irrigation facilities have been provided in lakhs of acres. Animal husbandry and dairy industry have flourished. Migration to villages has decreased and prosperity has increased. The water of Narmada has made Saurashtra life-giving. This change has become possible under the policies of the BJP government and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi. Without the visionary initiative of Keshubhai Patel, the continuous hard work of the BJP government and the tireless work of Narendrabhai, this dream would not have come true. All three should be praised because they did not let Saurashtra remain thirsty. Due to their efforts, today every Saurashtra family is saturated with water.

But happiness has come with water, it does not mean that we should misuse it. Happiness has come with water and knowing how to digest happiness is the true feeling. Today we should conserve water. It is necessary to collect rainwater, drip irrigation and increase awareness. So that future generations can also experience this happiness. We should remember this invaluable contribution of Keshubhai Patel, the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi and take their vision forward.

This water struggle saga of Saurashtra is an inspiring saga. The gap between the thirst of then and the prosperity of today shows the willpower of leadership. Water is life and preserving it is the true spirit. If we all move forward with this spirit, the future of Saurashtra will become brighter.

(The writer is a prominent businessman, social worker and founder of khabarchhe.com)