On the seventh day of the ongoing Budget Session, water scarcity rocked the House during Question Hour. The Opposition gave the Treasury Bench a dressing down citing the onset of summer and the consequent aggravation of the water crisis for the hapless people. During Question Hour, MlA Harbans Kapur asked whether the Government has framed a long-term policy for Dehradun in view of growing population and declining ground water level.
Water Supply Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani informed that as per the current population Dehradun needs 131 milling litre/day (MlD) while we have 176.81 MlD, which will be sufficient till the year 2025. As far as problem of water is concerned it is due to old pipeline, which leaks quite often.
Kapur retorted that the erstwhile BJP Government had made Gailogi water supply schemes in 2008. Now, people are saying that they are finding it difficult to cook pulses given the poor quality of the supplied water. The minister said it is happening because of technical fault in the filter plant. Eulogizing the Chief Minister, Naithani said whatever announcement the CM has made related to his department will be executed in near future.
The CM has been stressing on conservation of water resource and we have prepared a plan as well. MlA Ganesh Joshi said that the Chief Minister had announced Rs200 crore for the water problem for Mussoorie. Now what the minister is saying stands contrary to the CM’s announcement.Seeing the minister being cornered, CM Rawat got up and informed the House that we have prepared a plan to have a water reservoir in Jakhan. lakhwad Dam is also there.
With these two reservoirs, we would address the water woes in the coming days. In another question, MlA Puran Singh Fartyal asked about the status of the project meant to collect water from Saryu for lohaghat.
The CM said that 18 such projects of water lifting had been sent to the Union Government. However, the regime has changed there. We have spoken to water resources minister Vainkaiyaa Naidu. We have not received any communiqué from him so far. Then MlA Vijaya Berthwal asked about Bhairavgdhi pumping schemeIJ How many villages would be benefitted with thisIJ
In his reply, Naithani said the scheme was sanctioned on October 13, 2006 and 64 inhabitants would be benefitted. Currently, we are providing water through available resources. Now we have prepared estimation of the project and will execute it shortly.
later, MlA Ganesh Joshi asked whether the Government is mulling a scheme on Yamuna river for Mussoorie. Naithani said in the first phase they have released Rs2 crore out of Rs4.3 crore sanctioned on September 10, 2009.
He further assured that we have been preparing detailed DPR of water resource to meet the demand of next 30 years. Then MlA Sahdev Singh Pundir said Sahaspur industrial area is facing water crisis because gram Panchayat’s population has crossed 50,000 due to industry. The minister said that the water problem central hope town industrial area Sahaspur is facing is being addressed through Swajal. Two drinking water schemes executed in 2013 and 2014, under which we prepare two water reservoir, two tube well and laid pipe line as well. We would also prepare plan as per the water demand in future.
In another question the minister informed that we are also replacing old pipeline with new one. MlA Bishan Singh Chufal asked whether the minister is aware of water pipeline having been damaged at several places in Murakot blocks of Pithoragarh district. Minister replied that June 2013 disaster, Gauchh Nayabad drinking water scheme was damaged but we have released Rs2.11 lakh for its repair work and currently it is in progress.
During Zero Hour, MlA Ganesh Joshi raised issue of Garhi Cant, where people are not getting water supply for the last 20 days and even cantonment has refused to give them water. He further alleged when he approached the department they said that we can’t install new tube-well because the area come under cantonment board.
If you manage to procure NoC then we would establish new one there. Following on this he procured NoC form the board and submitted to the department but yet to see any progress. Then, the Minister said that you have submitted the NoC to us on March 16 and we are busy in Vidhan Sabha.