WATER CRISIS IN THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH

WATER CRISIS ISSUE IN MADHYA PRADESH

Availability of safe drinking water supplies is a challenge today in districts of states like Madhya Pradesh, and is particularly acute in some districts of the state. Given less rainfall in those districts, increasing depletion and contamination of its surface and ground water resources contribute to the crisis.

www. newswhichmatter.blogspot.com has been raising this concern regularly and this is the situation in now what will happen in coming summers ? Thankfully Central Chronicle editorial also raises similar concern. Hope many others will join the crusade !

Editorial in Central Chronicle, March 7, 2007

With the beginning of the month of March, water shortage is being felt in many parts of the state. For the last several years, as soon as the Holi festival was over people began to experience water shortage. A shortage of potable water at this stage ends up with grave problems in the availability of water in later months. Water is one of the basic needs of man. The issue has assumed so much importance that even the parties in power are losing the mandate of the people in future elections. A major part of the budgets are allotted for water availability in the State and local bodies budgets. Despite of this hefty provision, the people are continuing to face water shortages in the summer months. The problem persists in several parts of Madhya Pradesh and even the State capital Bhopal is not aloof from the same. Hand pumps have gone dry so also the pipelines are without any water.

Search for water from alternative sources is on; old wells are being repaired. Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Rewa and Sagar are some of the places where people have started experiencing shortage of water. Gwalior residents are only getting one-time water supply since the rains stopped. Even after good rains this season, the ground water level in many places has not increased. Every year the same story is getting repeated and still no foolproof efforts seem to be taking shape. The government would have to make drastic efforts and search out solutions immediately. Both big cities and small towns are grappling with water shortages. The situation is more worse in the rural and adivasi areas. In the state capital, despite facility of supply of potable water through tankers, the problem still persists. It is learnt the Jabalpur residents are coming on the roads in protest.