My Work Life In India druing 2003-05

Water Crisis in Juanpur block of Uttaranchal state

Water Crisis in Juanpur block of Uttaranchal state

Many villages in Juanpur block of Uttaranchal state of India are facing acute water shortages for drinking and agricultural purposes. The water for the villagers in Juanpur area drains from a small town and hill station called DHANOLTI, 24 Kilometres from Mussorie. Dhanolti was a small settlement on the Mussorie- Chamba road and had started life as a potato-loading stop for truckers. There are still potato fields in Dhanolti. Later it was discovered by tourists fleeing the urbanisation of Mussorie hill station. Mussorie hill station is situated 263 Kms north of Delhi.

Apart from a tourist bungalow and a tourist rest house, the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam GMVN has a hotel here but the acute shortage of water and electricity deters tourists from prolonging their stay. To take off tourist pressure from these two popular hill stations of Uttaranchal, the Government decided to develop this area as a hot tourist destination.
The government of Uttaranchal is aggressively promoting the tourism in various places in the state with different names, Nature tourism, Piligrim tourism, Adventure tourism, Eco Tourism, Wild life Tourism etc., In December, 200, the state of Uttaranchal Set Up Tourism Development Board. The setting up of the board assumes significance, as it is for the first time the government and private sector have united on a common platform to promote tourism in the state. THE Government has also appointed international tourism consultants, Panell Kerr Foster Consultants Ltd (PKF) market the State as a trekking destination. The State, which is often referred to as the Switzerland of India, is putting its best foot forward to attract more tourists.
As part of developments, the Government constructed a small reservoir and diverted the water for hotels and other recreational activities in Dhanolti. In effect, the villages down stream started having shortages of water. As the water sources gradually dried up, the communities have now access to drinking water only for 8 months. Apart from that, there is a big drop in the agricultural produce. “While the yield of our staple food rice was decreased by 50%, the extra income we get from vegetable cultivation had been totally suspended” says the village leader Mr. Vijay Lal of village upper papra, block Juanpur, district Tehri Garhwal. Village upper papra having 25 families require atleast 3000 liters/ day for drinking and domestic use. But the spring they depend on gives only 50 liters/ hour of unclean water in summer months. During winter, the people collect water from the snow and ice. During summer, people cultivate paddy and millets. In winter they make shawls with the wool.
The villagers sent repeated requests to the government, but nothing happened. They were so used to such developments in that area. The hotel management are highly in accessible, because the activities are being done by the govt.
EFICOR is planning for a drinking water project in the area, and initiated survey. As of now we are involved in water advocacy in the state level.

posted by SALATHIEL R NALLI @ 5:10 AM