23 percent of the state’s lakes and ponds have dried up reveals ministry report
Out of total 3096 reservoirs (lakes, ponds, tanks) present in Uttarakhand, 725 reservoirs have completely dried up. After the survey conducted for the first time across the country by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Water Bodies Census report has been released. The condition of Uttarakhand is not good in the report.
There are a total of 3096 reservoirs in the state. Of these, 2970 are in rural areas (95.9 percent) and 126 (4.1 percent) are in urban areas. Of these, water has been found in only 2371 reservoirs (76.6 percent), while 725 reservoirs (23.4 percent) have completely dried up. The reason for the drying up of reservoirs in the report has been attributed to water pollution, contaminated water coming out of factories, filling of silt and shrinking of sources. Many of these are such that they cannot even be revived. Encroachment has taken place in many reservoirs.
2361 reservoirs of the state are registered in government property, which are used publicly. All these are under panchayats, while 735 reservoirs are registered in private property, which are in the name of farmers.
Of the reservoirs in use in the state, 83.2 percent i.e. 1973 benefit one city or town, while 16.2 percent i.e. 383 reservoirs provide water to two to five cities or towns. More than five cities or towns get water from the remaining 0.6 percent i.e. 15 reservoirs. Out of the total 3096 reservoirs, 82.9 percent i.e. 2,567 reservoirs are less than 0.5 hectare in area, while in terms of storage capacity, 41.5 percent of the total reservoirs or 1286 reservoirs have a capacity between one thousand and 10 thousand cubic meters.
New reservoirs are being built across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Amrit Sarovar Yojana. In Uttarakhand too, 1133 reservoirs have been constructed so far under this scheme, but years old reservoirs are dying. Once an integral part of rural life, these water bodies have now become victims of neglect.
The drying up of water bodies is a serious matter. The entire focus of the state government along with the center is to revive the water bodies. That is why old reservoirs are being revived along with construction of new reservoirs under the Pradhan Mantri Amrit Sarovar Yojana. So far 1133 Amrit Sarohars have been constructed in the state.
