Skip to main content

Water mapping survey disappoints state planners


Tahir Mushtaq 

GNS JAMMU, Mar 03: The much awaited water mapping survey conducted to find new sources of ground water in Jammu and Kashmir by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has found that most of the water reserves are unsuitable for human consumption. Sources said that the remote sensing technology survey carried out by the government with the help of ISRO has found high level of iron and fluoride contents in the underground sources of water found in the state. 
The report says that many of the newly found underground water channels have been found at inaccessible locations, which need sophisticated technology to extract, beyond the range of equipment what the engineers are using in the country at the moment. The report was recently submitted to the government by the space scientists. 
Officials said that the survey has thrown open the fact that the people will continue to face drinking water shortage for decades to come, with more reliance on the surface water resources, already facing huge pressure in the backdrop of rising pollution and over exploitation. It is pertinent to mention here that facing the threat of water scarcity due to global warming and other reasons, for the first time in six decades, the state government had decided to map its resources with the help of remote sensing satellite technology. 
The situation is more alarming in Kashmir valley as despite having abundance of glacier fed streams, which also recharge the under ground channels, high level of iron has been found at most of the places. Similarly in Jammu region the survey has either shown very poor quality of hydro reserves or its total absence, which in turn has thrown a tough challenge for the planners, as how to cope up with the increasing demand of potable water in the coming decades. 
Jammu & Kashmir is endowed with thousands of glacier fed rivers and streams, but in recent years due to the affect of global warming and ruthless exploitation of the water bodies, most of these are receding. State has so far used only 16 per cent of the available ground water and the Government wanted to conduct a comprehensive study of its resources, but the survey had thrown new challenges for it. 
Official sources said that in places like Lolab and Kupwara, hit by the acute water scarcity, high mineral content has been found in newly found underground sources, which has cast its shadow over the plan to exploit these on massive scale. Likewise in Jammu region, the ground water in Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kandi belt and southern districts is trapped at the places where it is very difficult to extract it at the moment. 
“We are ourselves quite surprised by the findings as we were looking forward to exploit the ground water to meet our future requirements. It has been found that most of it is not suitable for humans or is trapped in inaccessible areas”, said Minister for PHE Taj-Mohi-Ud-Din. Minister claimed that the engineers are studying the findings minutely so to frame Water Security Plan for each district to meet the challenges of future requirements- the move which has now become inevitable.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

6321 kanals of land transferred to CUs for creation of infrastructure: Malik

GNS JAMMU MAR,01 :Minister for Higher Education, Mr. Abdul Gani Malik today informed the Legislative Assembly that about 4641 kanals and 4325 kanals of land has been indentified for the establishment of the Central Universities at Jammu and Kashmir respectively, out of which 3000 kanals and 3321 kanals stands transferred to these Universities. He said the process of transferring the remaining land is in progress. The Minister was replying to question of Mr. Yashpal Kundal in the House. The Minister said that the job of land survey and contour mapping has been assigned to Educational Consultants India Limited (EDCIL) after which master plans will be formulated and the construction work taken up. He said at present both the Central Universities are functional in the rental accommodation. He said MA English and comparative Literature, PG in Applied Mathematics, PG in Economics and M Phil in English courses have been introduced in Jammu University whereas 6 more courses are likely being...

Ravinder Sharma MLC 2 Days Tour Of Sunderbani n Nowshehra Conclude

GNS Sunderbani,September 01 : Member Legislative Council Mr. Ravinder Sharma-General Secretary & Spokesperson JKPCC conducted two days tour of Nowshera-Sunderbani areas of Rajouri district & addressed series of public meetings and took stock of problems of people. Addressing the meetings at Nonial, Chowki, Bhawani, Sunderbani, Soit, Chhatta and Mudwal, Mr. Sharma said that Congress party alone can guarantee for the unity and integrity of the state and take the nation to the path of peace and prosperity. Mr. Sharma lashed out     at the policies of communal and divisive forces to exploit the situation for vested political interests. He cautioned the people against the designs of such political parties and advised them to follow the path of secularism and work to strengthen the unity and integrity of the state and the nation. Number of prominent persons joined Congress party. They appreciated the policies and programmes of Congress party and the workings of...

Simultaneous alliance with Congress and BJP exhibits NC’s brazen political opportunism: PDP “Offering ‘ministerial berth’ bait manifests Omar’s insecurity”

GNS Srinagar, Nov 30: Terming Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s latest move of courting BJP as his new allies a brazen show of opportunism, opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today said the National Conference has taken the political immorality to a new low by simultaneously entering into coalition of expedience with Congress and BJP. “As NC has always survived on trickery, its latest move to woo back its old allies (BJP) is in tune with the party’s philosophy of political opportunism and deceit,” PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar said in a statement issued here today. He said, curiously, developing NC-BJP bonhomie coincides with the recent visit of senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Arun Jaitley in Jammu. Terming Omar Abdullah’s ‘ministerial berth’ bait a desperate attempt to keep the dissipating NC flock together and fully exploit disgruntled party legislators for upcoming Legislative Council polls,  Akhtar said Abdullahs have a history of adopting ‘use-a...