Haryana smells water in Saraswati trail

Chandigarh, Aug 11 (UNI) As the search to trace the course of the mythical Saraswati river progresses, the Haryana government is exploring the possibilty of finding some big ancient water reservoir underneath the channel of the river that could help the state resolve its shortage of water.

''We would like the experts to find if there is any paleo channel and underground aquifier on the course of the Saraswati that could be exploited to tackle the shortage of water in the state--for drinking as well as irrigation purposes,'' Haryana Public Health Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters here today.

Mr Surjewala said the Haryana government would work towards establishing a joint working group with the Petroleum Ministry, Water Resources Ministry, Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) and Geological Survey of India (GSI) for the purpose.

Earlier in the day a group of experts, engaged in the trail of Saraswati, gave a presentation before the Minister about the efforts they had so far made and the possibilties of finding some underground water reservoir in the process.

Mr Surjewala said the Haryana government had been inspired by a similar discovery of subterranean water reservoir in Libya during the drilling of earth for oil exploration. The water, trapped in the earth for thousands of years since a flood ravaged that part of Libya, was tapped for irrigation and drinking purposes.

He said the state government had called a meeting of experts from ISRO, ONGC, ASI, GSI and Kurukshetra University engaged in Saraswati trail next week to discuss the possibilties of finding such a subterranean reservoir of water and tapping it to meet the shortage of water.

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