Jammu Kashmir‘Unreliable water supply system could cause social unrest’

‘Unreliable water supply system could cause social unrest’

Date:

CSC to examine State Water Policy 

NL Correspondent

SRINAGAR: A six member cabinet sub-committee be examine the proposal of J&K water policy, which says “unreliable” water supply system has the potential of causing “social unrest” in the state.

The state government has constituted a six-member cabinet sub-committee headed by deputy chief minister Dr Nirmal Singh to examine the proposal regarding adoption of ‘State Water Policy'. It was framed in the backdrop of the cabinet decision to examine the draft to make the policy more comprehensive. It has been tasked to submit its report within a period of one month.

In the proposed first-ever ‘State Water Policy', the government says some parts of the state have become water stressed. “Rapid growth in demand for water due to population growth, urbanization and changing lifestyle pose serious challenges to water security,” it reads.

It states that access to safe water for drinking and other domestic needs, continues to be a problem in many areas.

“Skewed availability of water between different regions and different people in the same region and also the intermittent and unreliable water supply system has the potential of causing social unrest,” the policy's draft reads.

The draft of the policy says that public agencies in charge of taking water related decisions tend to take these on their own without consultation with stakeholders, often resulting in “poor and unreliable service characterized by inequities of various kinds”.

The state the policy says would endeavour to ensure access to a minimum quantity of potable water for essential and hygiene to all its citizens, and make it available within easy reach of each household.

The draft also stresses on preparation of the master plan for the flood-prone areas, and called for various measures to protect the valley from floods in future.

“Measures to establish the extensive networks for flood forecasting to give timely warnings to the people likely to be effected shall also be outlined. A roadmap for determination of the limits of the flood basins and the necessary exercises to be carried out shall be prepared,” it reads.

It also emphasises on measures to protect the natural drainage systems with a view to removing artificial barriers in the path of excess drainage water.

“Operating procedures for reservoirs shall be evolved and implemented in such a manner so as to have flood cushion and reduce trapping of sediments during flood seasons,” it reads.

The State had enacted and State Water Resources (Regulation and Management) Act for regulating water resources, ensuring judicious, equitable and sustainable management, allocation and utilization of water resources and fixing the rates for use of water in 2010.

Northlines
Northlines
The Northlines is an independent source on the Web for news, facts and figures relating to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and its neighbourhood.

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