 Karawal Nagar gets coloured water
Tap water comes in different colours in Karawal Nagar in East Delhi. "Sometimes,
it is like cola and sometimes like an orange drink," is how the residents describe
the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) supplied aqua pura. However its not the only problem. The
residents say the water tastes foul. Most of the residents have hand pumps in the houses
but rely on DJB-supplied water for drinking and cooking. "At first,
we used to fill the water in buckets and wait till the colour settled down at the bottom
and then pour it into vessels. But as this water also tastes very bad and often gives
stomachache we just leave the tap run till the colour and odour subsides." said Ram
Kishore, a resident. An effective if wasteful solution one might think. " But these
days no matter how long we wait, the colour does not change," he laments. Asked why
they do not complain to the DJB, the residents mostly jhuggi dwellers- have a simple
answer: "Its with great difficulty that we got the tap installed. If we complain,
they may seal the tap." On the other hand DJB’s executive engineer in the area,
M C Ram denied the whole issue saying, "If at all there is any colour present in the
water, it could be yellow because of chlorine which is used to purify the water or brown,
because of the natural iron content."
(Statesman,
New Delhi, 10 May, 2001)
Rainwater collection ponds raise hopes over
Faced with a daunting challenge to supply clean drinking water to 1.5 million residents
of the Kathmandu valley, the officials have finally taken the last resort: rainwater
harvesting. So far, officials of Shivapuri wildlife and watershed reserve have built a
four metre high dam in Dhap area at a cost of Nepali Rs 500,000. Ever since the dry season
started in March, Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) has been supplying between 60 and
70 million litres of water daily (MLD) as against a demand of 150 MLDs. According to the
experts, the idea of rainwater harvesting in ponds on the mountains or in watersheds
around densely populated capital city would go a long way in resolving the water crisis.
Deepak Gyawali, a water resource expert argues that if 1.5 per cent of Kathmandu
valley’s total land are is to be allocated for such ponds the valley will not face
water shortage at all.
(Kathmandu
Post, Kathmandu, 20 May, 2001)
Colonies dump DJB after starting water harvesting
After going through unbearable water
shortage years after year, residents of Vasant Vihar and Shantiniketan colonies have taken
to rainwater harvesting with a vengeance. They have completed four major rainwater
harvesting and groundwater recharge projects and have identified 30 more to be undertaken.
"Four lakh litres of water are supplied by the Delhi Jal Board daily for the resident
population of approximately two lakhs. If the official estimate of 240 litres per day is
to be followed, we should be getting 80 lakh litres per day," points out Veena
Bhatnagar, an active member on the Water Committee Board from Shantiniketan. The projects
undertaken so far have received technical guidance from the Central Ground Water Authority
(CGWA). These include individual rooftop rainwater harvesting, community groundwater
recharging and channelisation of wastewater from drains as well from the roads. Out of the
four groundwater recharge structures completed, one has been set up by the Horticulture
department, of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), one by DJB and two by DDA. These
projects include the mobilisation of abandoned tubewells in the area. Moreover
implementation of the ban on borewells passed by the DJB is being carried strictly by the
resident welfare association. "The groundwater recharge will be enough to supply
water to both colonies. The groundwater level has gone down from 40 feet to 250 feet over
the past 10 years. Our aim is to generate our own water supply," says G S Bhatia,
secretary, Vasant Vihar Resident Welfare Association.
(Indian
Express, New Delhi, 15 June, 2001) |
Jammu and Kashmir government gears up to meet drought spell
Jammu and Kashmir is reeling under severe drought conditions threatening to affect the
entire state. The state has witnessed 72 per cent less rainfall this year resulting in low
water level in rivers and a reduction in water table. The state government has already
demanded a relief package of Rs 1, 850 crore from the centre, which had earlier sent a
three member team to assess the situation. Almost 90 per cent of the rabi crop has
been damaged and most of the livestock is dead with water and fodder rarely available.
Contingency plans are being formulated to meet the situation arising out of the damage
caused. Compensations have been announced for areas where damage to crop is 50 per cent
and above. The preventive measures takes by the state government include seeds for
alternative crops, strengthening of local irrigation system through Kuhls, a
traditional irrigation system, desilting of new irrigation networks, tapping groundwater
and digging new ponds particularly in Ladakh to store early melting snow.
(Statesman,
New Delhi, 24 May, 2001)
Government to introduce new rules for
watershed programmes
shortly
The union urban development ministry is in the process of revising its guidelines for
its watershed programmes, which include the Integrated Wastelands Development Programme
(IWDP), the Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) and the Desert Development Programme
(DDP). According to the Union Urban Development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, "the aim
is to make the programme a mass movement and bring about socio- economic changes in the
rural areas." Introduced in 1995, the changes in the watershed development guidelines
will also ensure greater participation of the villagers in the decision-making process and
better monitoring. The villagers can modify the programme according to their needs and
then implement it. Regarding better monitoring, Naidu said the aim is to involve
agricultural institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, farmers’ training centres, NGOs and
other organisations. The ministry is also planning to constitute advisory committees
comprising eminent persons who can visit the watershed development projects and see their
implementation.
(Times of
India, New Delhi, 15 June, 2001) |
