Water crisis in Jhankhand
MANAVI, Email-
While hearing the arguments of petitioners of a PIL case filed in High Court of Jharkhand, Hon Chief Justice Bhagwati Prasad and Hon Justice D N Patel ordered Secretary, Water and Sanitation Department, Government of Jharkhand to submit updated reports on water supply of Pakur and Sahibganj till 17th of February, 2011 and if he fails to meet the deadline, the Court itself will go to these places to hear the pains of common people. It shows the gravity of water scarcity of Jharkhand and inactiveness of the state machineries.
Ministers have not ensured safe drinking water even in their own native villages:-
Except native village of one Minister of Jharkhand—Chandra Prakash Coudhary, Minister Building division, most of the Ministers’ native villages are facing acute shortage of drinking water. Bimala Pradhan, Minister Women and child welfare, belongs to Baghdega village of Simdega district. Around 20 to 25 families reside in this village. Out of three hand pumps of this village, two are non-functional and most of wells are dry. Jhilinggora of Jamshedpur district is native place of Transport Minister –Champai Soren. Here there are15 hand pumps for 3000 villagers and out of 15 hand pumps 7 are defunct. Villagers are forced to use water of Kharkai River which too has no flowing water these days. Pipara village (block- Madhupur, District-Deoghar) is native place of Haji Hussain Ansari, Wefare and cooperative Minister. There are 15 hand pumps and 10 wells in this village and water table of all these water bodies has gone down and villagers are facing acute shortage of drinking water. Minister for Food and Supply—Mathura Mahato belongs to Nero village of Dhandad district. This village is depending on water supply provided by TISCO Company. TISCO is providing water through tankers and during summer season, villagers are getting less water. The Chief Minister belongs from Kolhan division and more than 40% hand pumps of this division are non-functional. And finally Sibhu Sorens’ Nemara village (block-Gola, District-Ramgargh) has similar story to tell. The total population of this village is 531 and villagers have to go 2 km away to collect safe drinking water.
More than 52% Villages are facing acute Water shortage:-
Out of total 32,615 villages, 52 percent villages (16,969 villages) are facing acute shortage of drinking water in the Jharkhand state. Out of 3.23 lakhs of drinking water wells of this state, more than 50 percent wells are completely dry and rest another 25% wells will stop providing water for drinking purposes in another 30 days. The total number of hand pumps in the state is 3, 41860. Out of it, 296000 hand pumps are functional and the rest 45860 tube wells are defunct. The ratio of availability of tube wells in rural areas is 110 persons:: 1 hand pumps and in urban areas, it is 77persons::1 hand pumps. All 16 blocks of Hazaribag district is facing acute shortage of water supply. Out of 14780 tube wells of this district, hardly 10,000 hand pumps are functional. More than 1000 wells have no storage of water. Water table of Hazaribag has gone down 15 feet below than previous years. The condition of neighboring district—Ramgargh is equally bad. Out of 450 hand pumps of Lohargagha town, more than 200 hand pumps are non-functional.
Recently Water and Sanitation Department of Dumka district tried to install hand pupms at 541 places( because it is Parliament constituency of Sibhu Soren and assembly constituency of Deputy CM and Minister Water and Sanitation –Hemant Soren and assembly constituency of daughter- in- law of Sibhu Soren- Sita Soren) in Dumka district and it got no water at 40 places. It clearly indicates a alarming situation of this district. As per government data block wise status of functional and defunct hand pumps is given below:-
District / Block / Total no of Hand Pumps / No of defunct Hand pumpsDumka / Dumka / 2069 / 364
Dumka / Masalia / 2043 / 334
Dumka / Jama / 2973 / 510
Dumka / Ramgarh / 2059 / 418
Dumka / Jarmundi / 2531 / 455
Dumka / Saraiyahat / 2160 / 398
Dumka / Raneshwar / 1786 / 112
Dumka / Shikaripara / 1866 / 288
Dumka / Gpikandar / 758 / 172
Dumka / Kathikund / 1101 / 176
TOTAL / 19442 / 3229
About 34 towns of this state are getting hardly 50 percent water supply as compared to its requirement. Only 7 percent rural population of this is getting safe water through water supply pipes. Water level of Haru, Charwa, Kanke, Hatia, Rukka, Sitarampur dams have reached to alarming stage.
Status of major water storage dams/ reservoirs of Jharkhand :-
Name of dams/ reservoirs / Water level in 2011 / Water level in 2010 / Status of shortage of water level / ObservationHatia Dam, Ranchi / 9.26 feet / 28 feet / 19 feet below than previous year / It has capacity to provide water till 20th March,2011
Rukka Dam, Ranchi / 1917 feet / 1915.1 feet / Two feet more than previous year / Enough water for further water supply
Gonda Dam, Ranchi / 2110.8 feet / 2118.0 feet / Seven feet below than previous year / Capable to water supply til 31st March
Charaba Dam, Hazaribag / 10 feet / 22 feet / 12 feet less than previous year / Unable to supply water.
Adityapur Dam, Jamshedpur / 15 feet / 35 feet / 20 feet less than previous year / Deep water crisis.
Tenughat Dam, Bokaro / As compare to last year hardly 33% of water is available / Extreme water crisis
Maithan Dam, Dhanbad / 140 meter / 145 meter / 5 meter less / Situation is alarming
Hiru Dam, Chatara / 14 feet / ---- / ----- / Situation is alarming
Kelaghagh Dam / --- / ---- / ---- / Enough water for further water supply
Konara Dam / ---- / --- / --- / Situation is alarming
Panchait Hill Dam / ---- / --- / --- / Situation is alarming
Tilaiya Dam / --- / --- / --- / It will provide water till 10th of April.
Mansanjore Dam / --- / --- / --- / Situation is alarming
Most of rivers which are treated as life lines of different towns of this state are dry:-
Name of districts / Rivers ( life lines) / Present statusChatra / Manat, Nilanjan , Amjhar, Mahane, Chako, Barki, Budh / Most of these rivers are dry- having no running water.
Ramgarh / Damodar, Bhairvi / Damodar has adequate water but water of this river is highly polluted
Hazaribagh( Ghatotarn) / Chutua river / Dry
Lohardgga / Sankh , Koapal / There is no water in Kopal river
Gumala / Sankh, Koyal / The both river are dry
Simdega / Palmara / Dry
Palamu / Kopal / Dry
Garwa / Danro / Dry
Sahibganj / Ganga / The volume/ flow of this river has decreased
Jamtara / Ajoy / Dry
Dumka / Mayurakhi, Sidheswari, Noonbil / Noonbil and Sidheshwari are dry while there is no water flow in Maurakshi river
West Singhbhum / Rero, Karo, Dev, Baitarni, Sanjay, Kopal / Most of these rivers are dry- having no running water.
Saraikela / Kharkai, Suvarnrekha, Shankh, Karia Nala / Most of these rivers are dry- having no running water.
Pakur / Torai, Pagalanadi, Tirpatia, Bardhu / Most of these rivers are dry- having no running water.
In Garwa town, water supply has been stopped due to non-availability of water. The volume of water supply has been decreased in Hazaribagh, Kodarma, Tilaiya, Ranchi, Latehar, Dumka, Jharia , Deoghar etc too. In Chatra district, more than 55 thoudand ponds were constructed under MNREGS – all these ponds are dry, having no stored water. Out of 11 thousand ponds of Dumka district, more than 5 thousand ponds are dry. Loharghaga district had planned to construct 781 ponds during 2010-2011, but still 697 ponds have not been constructed. For the mitigation of impacts of droughts on long term basis, announcement of construction of one lakh ponds was made during 2007-08 by the State government. The state government demanded assistance of 800 crores from Central Government for the construction of these ponds. There were some problems in the estimated cost of these ponds and finally these ponds were not constructed.
Practically there is no flowing water in major rivers of the state like-Koyal, Shankh, Paras, Swarnrekha, Dewaki etc. As compare to previous years, water level of barrages constructed on Damodar, Mayurakhshi , Ajoy river is 50% less.
Dumka town is getting 2.5 lack gallon water from Mayurakhi river but since the availability of surface water in this river is practically nil, so PHED is hardly able to provide 50 thousand gallon water to Dumka town.
Origin –sources of major rivers of Jharkhand are in danger:-
Most of the important rivers’origin sorces are in dangerThe Damodar river of Jharkhand originates at a place called Chulhapani (Latehar district). Gradually the availability of water bodies at this place is decreasing and thus the existence of the Damodar river is in danger. TheSwaranrekha river is being treated as life line of Jharkhand state. It originates at Ranichua, Pisckanagari. At its origin point water flow is decreasing fastly. Lots of brick kiln industries are growing in these areas which are direct threat to this river. The same story is with Water Falls of Jharkhand. There is no water fall from Jhonha water fall since the frst week of March.
Status of few important projects:-
1. Punashi water reservoir project was started in 1982 and with 77.94 km long canal and it was supposed to irrigate 15384 hectares of land during Kharif season and 8907 hectares of land during rabbi season. This project has not been completed even in 30 years. The original estimated cost of the project was 26.01 crores and it has reached up to 446 crores. 606 families of 16 villages were displaced by this project and till yet proper rehabilitation of these families has not done by the government. Again, in 2007, with the investment of 58 crores a project was sanctioned to solve the drinking water problem of 1.5 lack people of Deoghar town and targeted completion year f this project was 2009. Still 40 percent works of this project is pending.
2. With the estimated investment of 25 crores, a drinking water project was started in Jhumaritilaya in the year of 2005 and it was supposed to supply drinking water to Kodarma town. 2009 was completion year of this project but till date hardly 40 percent works have been completed.
Jharkhand is thirsty even after expenditure of Rs 1700 crore:-
After the formation of new state- Jharkhand has invested more than Rs1700 crore for ensuring safe and adequate drinking water but still it has failed to provide adequate drinking water even in urban centers.
# Funds allotted and utilized for drinking water since 2002(in crores)
Year / Allotted amount / Utilized Amount2002-03 / 100.00 / 64.16
2003-04 / 142.50 / 50.19
2004-05 / 108.55 / 101.70
2005-06 / 156.94 / 131.98
2006-07 / 162.50 / 151.01
2007-08 / 210.78 / 170.28
2008-09 / 258.37 / 233.28
2009-10 / 292.35 / 255.82
2010-11 / 275.00 / 103.00
In spite of all these investments/ allocations, the state has failed to fulfill even drinking water demands in its urban pockets.
# Demand and supply ratio of Drinking Water of urban centers of Jharkhand
(It is based on total population—2009- of these places, in terms of lack gallons)
Sn / Name of urban centers / Supply / Demand1. / Ranchi / 310-370 / 440-460
2 / Dhanbad / 184 / 350
3 / Jamshedpur / 106.03 / 221.16
4 / Jugalsalai / 3.0 / 17.8
5 / Mihijam / 4.79 / 12.83
6 / Mango / 1.10 / 64.11
7 / Deoghar / 1.8 / 37.97
8 / Garwa / 2.5 / 14.16
9 / Daltanganj / 8.84 / 27.56
10 / Madhupur / 7.38 / 18.26
11 / Godda / 4.16 / 14.28
12 / Pakur / 2.5 / 13.09
13 / Sahibganj / 1.60 / 30.93
14 / Chas / 5.2 / 37.52
15 / Phusro / 1.7 / 32.21
16 / Chatra / 2.5 / 16.22
17 / Hazaribag / 3.7 / 49.11
18 / Giridih / 16.2 / 38.2
19 / Jhumaritillaya / 18.0 / 26.82
20 / Gumala / 4.5 / 15.34
21 / Simdega / 2.0 / 13.11
22 / Chaibasa / 7.5 / 24.56
23 / Chakradharpur / 3.0 / 14.82
During last five years 135 projects of Rs. 297 crores were taken up to solve the drinking water problems in rural areas of this state. Till today, only 58 projects have been completed rest 76 projects are still not been completed. The names of incomplete projects are – Baredih, Gomda,Bareda, Tau, Tanju, Chirudih, Tapkra, Govindpur, Barajamada, Tankisai, Kumarduggi, Kutpani, Patahatu, Goielkera, Manushmuria, Senha, Kolevira, Banaso, Chatarmaro, Jobhiya, Muramkala, Bahatu, Ichatu, Soso, Kusumdih, Pardih, Mahu, Khandel, Gadhake, Lolo, Kurum, Burhakhokhara,, Chetar, Markacho, Barbedia, Narkopi, Mahuda bazaar, Bhojudih, Fatehpur, Jainamore, Sonabad, Chandankairi, Surhi, Nawadih, Dantu, Hazari kuradgarha, Bagodar, Dumri, Sriya, Birani, Madhuban, Pirtarn, Lalgarh, Khaodhi, Panchpariya, Mogar, Sohanpur, Rohini, Gairiya, Bindapathar, Khajuri, Karmatarn, Beba, Saraoni, Pathargama, Basantrai, Mahagama, Naraini, Aadharn, Kurd Dumaria, Baniyadih, Kakni, Islapur and Govindpur.
State Capital in a bad shape:-
Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkhand, is located at 23.350 N and 85.330 E. The total area covered by Ranchi-Municipal area is about 141 square kilometers and the average elevation of the city is 645 m above Mean Sea Level (MSL). As of 2001 India census Ranchi had a population of 846,454.
Water supply in Ranchi dates back to more than 50 years ago.
There are three main dams ( Hatia, Rukka, and Kanke dam) from where the water is supplied to the city. Surface water is always vulnerable to pollution. People of Ranchi are dependent more on purer source like groundwater. Of the total consumption more than 60% comes from groundwater storage. Due to increasing population more pressure has developed on groundwater from the aquifer beneath the city.
The process of urbanization and industrialization from last 20 years has caused changes in the water table as a result of decreased recharge and increased withdrawal. Many of the small ponds which were main source of water in the surrounding areas are now filled for different construction purpose affecting the water table.