Spiti tribal villages face acute water shortage

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, January 23

Scanty snowfall and rainfall has aggravated water crisis in remote village Demul in tribal district of Lahaul Spiti, where villagers were fetching water from nearby rivulet, four kilometres away.

The villagers said that the natural water resource had dried up because of deficient snowfall and rain during the last few years and they have no option but to fetch water from a long distance. The villagers were seeking government help to set up water lift scheme in the region, which will make potable water available round the year.

Demul village, located in Spiti valley of district in Himachal Pradesh, is situated 230 km away from district headquarter Kaza. Total geographical area of the village is 184 hectares. At present, there are nearly 50 households.

Talking to The Tribune here today, Gram Panchayat Pradhan of Demul Panchayat Padma Butith said, “Life has become miserable because of water crisis these days as natural water source of village has been dried up. This was the prime source of water for us.”

“The villagers are forced to fetch water from Pagangtse rivulet, four kilometer from here and store it for domestic use and for cattle. The nearby villages Jidanga and Ligang, situated on the vicinity of Spiti river, were also facing water crisis”, he added.

“We are demanding from the state government to set up water lift scheme in the region, which will be a great help. Otherwise, life will become difficult here in coming days if situation will remain same” he remarked.

Villagers said they had to bear the brunt of the rainfall deficit, which had adversely affected production of agriculture produce.