Gandhinagar, April 26 (IANS) Senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil Monday criticised the Gujarat government for its failure to harness the waters of the river Narmada to tackle the water scarcity facing the state.

Gohil, Leader of Opposition, said the state was reeling under acute water scarcity while the irony of the situation was that huge amount of the Narmada river water was flowing into the sea due to the "inability of the government to harness it".

"This is because in the last seven years the government completed work on just 18,803 km of canals as against the stipulated 90,389 km. No permission was required from anyone, then what stopped the government from doing it. Instead of wasting crores on frivolous celebrations, the money should be utilized to complete the canals. This would be the best celebrations," he said.

Gohil also demanded that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Narendra Modi government apologise to the family of a Dalit farmer who died fasting outside a government office pleading for the return of his land allotted by the government but usurped by some people.

"He and his family sat on fast but nothing happened though the poor man gave up his life. The government should get the family the land and tender an apology for the incident."

Gohil said that the Swarnim Gujarat Gaurav Yatra being taken out by the Congress in various parts of the state to highlight the plight of the people and the problems that remain unaddressed by the government, was receiving very good response.