Water crisis in Rajasthan

Jaipur, Nov 28 (UNI) Almost half of Rajasthan is in the grip of an acute water crisis with half of its 32 districts facing acute water shortage due to the erratic rainfall during the last monsoon season.

Summer is almost five months away but the state Public Health end Engineering Department is trying to minimise the drinking water crisis in half the state even during the winter months this year.

PHED Chief Engineer (Rural) M K M Joshi said, ''there was a shortfall of 20-50 per cent rain in about 15 districts during the last monsoon season. Generally the PHED starts preparing for the summer months at the end of winter, but this year sanction has been accorded for the transportation of water by roads and repair of the hand pumps in November as many areas have been reeling under drought-like situation.'' The Public Health Engineering Department has issued orders for the transportation of water by road in the districts of Bikaner, Churu, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Tonk, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karuli, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, Dausa, Jhunjhunu and Sikar districts.

The government has also set in motion a hand pump repair campaign this month well in advance considering the severe water shortage in the state.

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