After two consecutive dry winters, Jammu and Kashmir is gazing a water disaster and the alert was sounded by chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday. He has referred to as a gathering of the Jal Shakti division to plan on how you can take care of the growing disaster.
With much less rain and snowfall within the Kashmir Valley this winter, the Mughal Backyard at Achabal in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district seems dry and desolate forward of spring season. (Waseem Andrabi/HT)
“J&K is staring at a water crisis this year. It’s not a recent phenomenon, actually it’s been building up for a few years now. While the government will have to adopt a more proactive approach for water management and conservation, it can’t just be a government-centric approach. All of us residents of J&K will have to change the way we take water for granted. I’ll be reviewing the measures the Jal Shakti (public health and engineering) department intends to take to deal with the developing crisis. I’ll also be talking to the people of J&K over the next few months about what we can do collectively,” Abdullah posted on X.
There have been a number of protests in summer season final yr as effectively towards water shortage. However this time it’s extra extreme with water shortage growing even in winter. The rain deficit in January and February is the principle purpose.
Like final yr, winter in Jammu and Kashmir this time has been by and huge dry. The Union Territory has been experiencing a protracted dry spell this winter with no main rain or snowfall thus far in February, whereas the harshest winter interval of Chilai Kalan from December 21 to January 30 recorded a 75% deficit precipitation, the meteorological division mentioned in Srinagar. There have been three gentle bouts of snowfall in the course of the interval on December 27-28, January 4-5 and January 16. However general, this winter has seen a deficit precipitation.
The deficit precipitation has led to the drying up of water sources of the Himalayan Valley. The Jhelum river is seeing one of many lowest water ranges, whereas there have additionally been a number of incidents of forest fires. The water within the Valley’s many springs, significantly the distinguished Achabal spring in Mughal Backyard of south Kashmir’s Anantnag, has both dried up or in a vital state.
30-hour shutdown to desilt, restore Sindh Energy Canal
The 30-hour shutdown of the Sindh Energy Canal for clearing silt and conducting repairs from Saturday has aggravated the scenario as it’s a main supply of energy and water provide to Srinagar.
The manager engineer of the water works division of Srinagar, identify right here, put out a public discover saying: “The department of civil investigation and design wing, Jammu and Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation, Kashmir, will undertake a 30-hour shutdown on February 22 to carry out repairs of the Sindh Power Canal, Old Ganderbal, and desilting. As a result, the raw water supply to water treatment plants at Nishat, Alusteng and Rangil will get affected. Potable water supply shall remain affected in major parts of Srinagar city and the adjoining areas.”
There can be 75 areas of Srinagar that can be affected, together with main hospitals. “The public is notified to store sufficient supply of water to meet the demands. Hospitals functioning in and around Srinagar are requested to keep close liaison with the public health authorities during the shutdown period,” the discover mentioned.
Dealing with erratic provide already
Residents say water provide has been erratic even now owing to low ranges at supply. So, storing water can be an uphill activity.
“How do we store water when there is no proper supply even now? We have been facing an acute shortage on and off this winter. The government needs to come out with an elaborate plan, particularly for consumers in tail-end areas. This summer is also going to be critical,” mentioned Naseema Akhtar, a resident of Srinagar’s Previous Metropolis.
In the meantime, the federal government has put its MLAs on the job. Zadibal Srinagar legislator and Nationwide Convention spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq mentioned water tankers in his space can be mobilised. “In view of the shutdown, I spoke to Jal Shakti minister Javed Rana. I requested that water tankers be mobilised from rural and other areas which are not in use at the moment to ensure availability in the affected parts of Srinagar, including areas of Zadibal constituency. The minister assured full support,” Sadiq posted on X.