GANDHINAGAR: The state government has told Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar that out of a total urban population of 2.57 crore in Gujarat, "nearly 2 crore people, 80% of the urban population , are likely to face drinking water crisis".

Of this, 1.60 crore population belong to the eight municipal corporations, while the rest, around 40 lakh, to 69 municipalities, the state officials stated while making a presentation before Pawar and his team. The issue which needs to be urgently addressed is about drilling new tube wells, installation of additional hand pumps, laying connecting pipelines, and supply of water through tankers, the presentation said.