Dehradun, September 29
Under-construction overhead tanks are a common sight in Dehradun city these days amply hinting that potable water scarcity in this water-deficient capital city could become a thing of the past in a few years.

Uttarakhand potable water authorities, for the first time, have undertaken a series of measures that cater to both water discharge and storage.

Dehradun with vivid topography has both upper and lower areas. There are areas that have surplus discharge, but are devoid of storage facility and vice versa.

This time, the Uttarakhand Peyjal Sansthan Vikas Evam Nirman Nigam has tried to strike a balance between the two and is aiming at equitable potable water supply in different zones of the city.

There have certainly been efforts to redress potable water problems in Dehradun. The nigam has initiated a major programme linked to the digging of tubewells while simultaneously increasing the water storage capacity.

The department is coming up with as many as 30 tubewells and 44 overhead tanks that include seven clear water reservoirs in the upper zone areas of the city.

The construction of 10 tubewells has been completed while it is under way in 15 tubewells. The nigam has to complete construction of all these tubewells and storage overhead tanks by 2011.

This forms part of the Rs 70-crore Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme.

According to SC Pant, executive engineer of the nigam, the department is eyeing 2041, the year targeted by potable water officials for coming up with a final balance between areas of surplus discharge and storage-deficient localities of Dehradun city.

Potable water availability has always been a major challenge for people of Uttarakhand, particularly during summer, and Dehradun has been the worst affected, purely due to the poor management of water resources, haphazard growth and erratic rain pattern.

A total of 92 urban areas and 395 rural areas in Uttarakhand face repeated shortage of water during summer. In all, 487 areas in the state are in the red and in most of these areas, the taps go dry in summer. 

In Dehradun, the urban areas that may face water shortage are 40, while the rural areas are 125.

Recently, the Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan, another potable water body, had conducted a detailed survey on the possible areas that were likely to face water shortage. In the past five years, water supply has only increased by 40 mld.

“We continue to meet the demand of the people. Surveys like these help us to tackle the problem areas.

“We had poor rains this winter. The water sources naturally discharge less and alternative arrangements are the only solution as demand usually goes up during summer months,” HP Uniyal, Chief General Manager, Jal Sansthan, said.

“Our water supply and storage infrastructure was constructed way back in 1937 when the population of the city was only 10,000. Today, it is more than 10 lakh.

“The system is bound to show signs of wear and tear and it is being addressed. 95 per cent of the water wastage is through leakage that has to be addressed at the basic level i.e. our houses.

“I think residents need to be educated about the utility of water and its conservation. It is not a perennially available commodity and hence proper utilisation is a must,” HP Uniyal added.

On the other hand, there have also been increasing concerns over the falling ground water levels in the capital.

A central government body, the Central Ground Water Board, has been contemplating regular monitoring of groundwater and, if need be, could even go for notifying the Dehradun area under water regulation and conservation norms. The notification could check any further boring activity by an individual in the city.

As much of 80 per cent of drinking water supply in Dehradun is dependent on groundwater. The valley has over 150 tubewells.

Haridwar, September 29
An elephant died due to electrocution in the Rani Majra village area when it came in contact with a transformer of a high-tension line passing through the area. The incident came to light only late in the morning today when certain farmers spotted the carcass of the elephant lying near the transformer.

Prima facie, forest officials say, the elephant, aged around 40 years, tried to touch the transformer with his trunk and got electrocuted.

For the past few weeks, there have been reports of elephant movement in the agricultural areas situated near the Ganga.

The area where the incident happened is also close to the Ganga.

The Tribune had highlighted a report regarding damage caused to crop by elephants in the region.

It’s believed that the tusker had entered in the village from the Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve side and was rampaging a sugarcane field when it unfortunately came in contact with the transformer.

Villagers said around six elephants had been seen in the area destroying sugarcane and wheat crops for the past few days.

They had informed forest officials about it. The villagers had also held a protest against the Forest Department for its failure to ensure their protection and save their crops from the elephants.

DFO RD Pathak said the department was contemplating several points to check movement of elephant herds in villages.

“We toil for months in the fields and these are being ravaged by jumbos easily. We are also not safe as sometimes elephants retaliate when we try to drive these away.

“This incident is tragic and the Forest Department should instantly do something regarding the intrusion of elephants into villages,” said Niranjan Saini, a farmer of the Majra area.

Last year, two elephants got electrocuted in the Lal Dhang forest area and in Haridwar Forest division.

Though the Forest Department had started setting up a solar fencing, elephants easily destroy it.

Wildlife experts lay stress on the need for undertaking a detailed study on the movement of elephants, their entry and exit points and providing food to them in forest itself.

“Already, the number of elephants is dwindling and such incidents aggravate the problem.

“Trenches and strong concrete stone walls are viable options, but these are not permanent solutions.

“Only a detailed research can provide a solution to check this unusual movement of elephants in the areas inhabited by people,” said wild life expert Dr.Ritesh Joshi.

Haridwar, September 29
The state government seems to be quite serious over the contentious issue of land consolidation and revenue for it affects a large number of people. To clear long-pending cases of land consolidation in time has been among priorities of the state government.

Admitting pendency of these cases in rural revenue areas in large numbers, the state government has started taking serious steps to clear pending cases in revenue courts. State Minister for Revenue Diwakar Bhatt has taken cognisance of the consolidation cases pending in large numbers.

As a first step, directions have been issued to administrative officers to speedily resolve the cases. Already, in civil courts a lot of cases have been pending for years, many even for decades. Accepting a delay in the clearance of these cases, Bhatt said: “Yes, there is a backlog of cases in courts and they need to be cleared in the shortest possible time”.

While in Haridwar district, the administration has already taking steps to clear the backlog, monthly camps are being held at villages, specially those having most number of consolidation cases. District Magistrate R Meenakshi Sundaram said the administration had conducted such camps in those villages where consolidation matters are nearing clearance.

With the formation of Uttarakhand, the administrations like Dehradun and Haridwar, where VIP movement is enormous, keep busy in catering to VIPs and other dignitaries, leading to piling up of such cases, the minister pointed out.

“Owing to visits of VIPs and other dignitaries to these cities, working in the administration offices gets affected. It hampers disposal of revenue cases,” said Bhatt.

On the question of restricting their movement, Bhatt said it was not feasible. A middle path had to be found so that VIP movement doesn’t affect these officers’ working. Lawyers, too, should cooperate in a speedy hearing of these cases, he added.

Notably, apart from consolidation, where it’s not feasible, farmers can also exchange their land under Section 161 of the Uttarakhand (Uttar Pradesh) Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act.