Andaman faces water crisis; Curtailment announced

Port Blair, Jan 2: The Port Blair Municipal Council (PBMC) today announced curtailment in water supply here and the surrounding areas.

The curtailment was announced following the fast dropping water level in Dhanikhari Dam, the lone water reservoir in South Andaman.

Inadequate rainfall during November-December 2006 had led to the drastic fall in the water level at Dhanikhari dam, PBMC chairman Sher Singh told mewsmen today.

Announcing the curtailment he said the city would get water once in three days and urged the public to use water judiciously.

Expressing their concern over the crisis the environmentalists in Andaman have termed it as man-made.

''More tourists means more demand of water and water crisis is just a side-effect of tourism,'' secretary of an NGO HELP ( Health Environment and Less Pollution), Subhasish Ray said.

Mr Ray told sources that at present a major share of water is being utilised by huge number of mushrooming hotels and lodges, resulting in shortage for localites.

''We are promoting more and more tourism. In 2006 the territory had received more than 1,20,000 tourists, which was an abnormal rise in tourist traffic. This has resulted in water crisis,'' he added.

However the PBMC officials refused to comment in this regard.

After tsunami the tourism industry got a sudden boost in 2006.

Hundreds of new Guest Houses and Lodges have been opened in South Andaman following the large number of tourists.

Every year water curtailment is announced in March or April but this year it has been announced four months in advance creating a ripple among the islanders.

''This year is going to be tough, I believe,'' Chief Spokesperson of Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee K Ganeshan said.

UNI