Scientists, activists and academicians have expressed serious concern at the depleting natural water sources in the State at the start of a two-day workshop here on Tuesday. Organised jointly by Himmotthan-Sir Ratan Tata Trust, Arghyam and Spring Initiative, the workshop saw participants discussing measures needed to revive the traditional natural sources of water in the State.
Speaking on the occasion, THDC director Mohan Singh Rawat ‘Gaonwasi’ opined that the Government and public will have to come together on the issue of water. An action plan should be made for conservation of water, forests and land on the basis of scientific research related to conservation of natural resources with water being accorded topmost priority. He pointed out that the traditional public knowledge of water conservation in Himalayan states cannot be ignored and should be taken into account by the government while drafting water conservation scheme, he stressed.
Forest department officials stressed on the necessity of ensuring conservation of forests and water in the Indian Himalayan region. This has become necessary because no special water conservation plan has been drafted yet considering the infrastructural development and population increase. Citing the Supreme Court, the department officials said that the court had directed that water conservation scheme should be drafted first before other developmental schemes in any forest area. Though this is not being done in civil forests, the SC order is being implemented in protected forests, said the officials, while adding that plantation of bamboo and broad leafed trees is vital for water conservation.
Activists of Himalaya Seva Sangh, Peoples Science Institute, Himmotthan Society shared their experiences in stream conservation and rejuvenation. These organisations undertook water conservation works together with residents of five villages each in Tehri, Nainital and Dehradun districts. Speaking on the occasion, they pointed out that there have been thousands of natural water sources called Naula-Dhara which are now under threat because of the indiscriminate felling of forests, villages and towns transforming into concrete jungles, unplanned and indiscriminate exploitation of ground water and climatic changes. Several such natural water sources traditionally used in the mountainous regions have now vanished due to the drop in ground water level occurring year after year in mountainous areas, said the activists. The deterioration of such traditional natural water sources has caused unprecedented water woes in the villages of Uttarakhand. It was pointed out that according to a study conducted in Uttarakhand, the formation of a springshed authority was found to be essential for ensuring the conservation of such traditionally used natural sources of water. One of the aspects that emerged in the workshop was that the majority of water related requirements of the State are met by natural sources of water with these being the sole source of water for the people in many villages. However, the consistent drop in the ground water level has caused a sharp decrease in water available from such natural sources of water. It was pointed out that merging the traditional knowledge of mountain communities withe latest science can help in resolving the water scarcity being faced in the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand.