GUJURAT, India, July 18, 2011 -- A series of 100,000 m3/day capacity desalination facilities could be in the pipeline over the five years in the Western Indian state of Gujurat.
H K Dash, principal secretary, Narmada Water Resources, Water Supply & Kalpasar Department, Government of Gujurat told reporters that sites including Jamnagar, Pipavav, Dahej and Kutch have been identified for desalination plants over the next five years.
Speaking at the Gujurat Water Summit 2011, Dash said that for a recent pilot project in Kutch, the cost of desalinating water was Rs42 per 1000 litres [0.57 GBP], which he said was "expensive compared to making Narmada water available in Kutch district, the price for which stands at Rs36 per 1000 litres [0.50 GBP]", according to DNA India.
He reportedly said that following MoUs signed in Vibrant Gujurat, capacity could reach 150 million litres (150,000 m3/day) but that in the next five years capacity could reach more than 300 million litres (300,000 m3/day) in the state.
A report launched at the event by organisers CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) said that Gujurat is an inherently water deficit state with a per capita water availability of 1,137 m3.
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