There could be no better timing than World Water Day for the AMC, to link building plan approvals with getting Narmada water connection, to see that no more borewells are dug up. The civic body may have taken this decision because at a time when the whole world is worrying about depleting ground-water levels, builders and other agencies are busy digging borewells indiscriminately.
Way back in mid 1990s, AMC faced severe water crunch as it was solely dependent on the ever drying up Dharoi dam. It was much later that the city heaved a sigh of relief when Raska line was laid to bring water from Mahi canal head in Kheda district. This was followed by water procurement from Narmada canal just when Raska ceased to be a dependable source.
However, even Raska water was not supplied to areas outside AMC limits where construction of residential colonies was coming up rapidly. Builders merrily dug up borewells as they fell beyond AMC jurisdiction where certain restrictions were imposed on such digging. Even a White Paper was issued, but those were things of the past and now, there seems no restriction on such activity. Even AMC’s damage control effort is aimed more at safeguarding commercial viabilities than towards conservation, and reach the break-even point. “We will check water samples on the spot to tell people about the harmful effects on their health if they continued using borewell water having high TDS content,” says Municipal Commissioner I P Gautam. But whatever may be its motive, the move will ensure that use of ground-water was cut to minimum. Human Development Report of the UNDP for 2006 has suggested that 25 pc of city population uses 90 pc of total water supplied in city while major chunk of 75 pc has to do with just 10 pc of available water. On an average, the report says, per capita water supply in posh areas is 400 litres a day whereas it is just 20 to 100 litres in labour dominated areas. Again, due to supply network design difference, residents in newly-developed areas get 24-hr water supply while the old network provides for only two hour supply in old city limits.
CMD of White Waters T Chandran says at national level, only 65 pc of country’s population has access to quality drinking water while rest are not as lucky. He says world’s population is expected to increase from 6.5 bn at present to 9 bn by 2050 when 1.8 bn people will live in regions with absolute water scarcity and two-thirds of world’s population will live under condition of water stress. civic body may have taken this decision because at a time when whole world is worrying about depleting ground-water levels, builders and other agencies are busy digging borewells.
Courtesy : Expressindia.com
Way back in mid 1990s, AMC faced severe water crunch as it was solely dependent on the ever drying up Dharoi dam. It was much later that the city heaved a sigh of relief when Raska line was laid to bring water from Mahi canal head in Kheda district. This was followed by water procurement from Narmada canal just when Raska ceased to be a dependable source.
However, even Raska water was not supplied to areas outside AMC limits where construction of residential colonies was coming up rapidly. Builders merrily dug up borewells as they fell beyond AMC jurisdiction where certain restrictions were imposed on such digging. Even a White Paper was issued, but those were things of the past and now, there seems no restriction on such activity. Even AMC’s damage control effort is aimed more at safeguarding commercial viabilities than towards conservation, and reach the break-even point. “We will check water samples on the spot to tell people about the harmful effects on their health if they continued using borewell water having high TDS content,” says Municipal Commissioner I P Gautam. But whatever may be its motive, the move will ensure that use of ground-water was cut to minimum. Human Development Report of the UNDP for 2006 has suggested that 25 pc of city population uses 90 pc of total water supplied in city while major chunk of 75 pc has to do with just 10 pc of available water. On an average, the report says, per capita water supply in posh areas is 400 litres a day whereas it is just 20 to 100 litres in labour dominated areas. Again, due to supply network design difference, residents in newly-developed areas get 24-hr water supply while the old network provides for only two hour supply in old city limits.
CMD of White Waters T Chandran says at national level, only 65 pc of country’s population has access to quality drinking water while rest are not as lucky. He says world’s population is expected to increase from 6.5 bn at present to 9 bn by 2050 when 1.8 bn people will live in regions with absolute water scarcity and two-thirds of world’s population will live under condition of water stress. civic body may have taken this decision because at a time when whole world is worrying about depleting ground-water levels, builders and other agencies are busy digging borewells.
Courtesy : Expressindia.com