Experts suggest construction of ponds to deal with A

Port Blair, Apr 9 (UNI) While the local administration promises hi-tech strategies to counter water crisis in the islands, experts believe recharging of ground water maybe the best option.

''Construction of a large number of ponds in the islands would help recharge ground water to a large extent. This would also help in rainwater-harvesting,'' Central Ground Water Board senior scientist Amlanjyoti Kar told UNI today.

He said this should be completed before the onset of monsoon to tap rainwater and subsequent recharge of ground water.

''In a place like Andaman which receives more than seven months of heavy rainfall, ground water recharging is the best option compared to installation of desalination plant and plan to bring water from some other remote islands,'' he said.

In his scientific plan under Rajiv Gandhi Rehabilitation Project for agriculture, Mr Kar said that due to subsidence of landmass, along with ingress of coastlines, there has been large-scale depletion of fresh water caused by reduction in thickness of interface between fresh water and saline water.

Presently, water is being supplied to Port Blair once in every four days that too for just half an hour as the lone water reservoir in South Andaman has already dried up.

There were reports of severe water crisis from some other islands of North and Middle Andaman chain.

Some NGOs like HELP(Healthy Environment and Less Pollution) are also suggesting recharging ground water as much as possible so that well and ponds could remain full during the dry season.

Rainwater should be harvested in tanks in every building so that ground water could be recharged as much as possible. Once the ground water is fully recharged we can use that whenever we want,'' Arup Kumar Roy, the joint secretary of HELP, told UNI.

Monsoon is due in Andaman in April last week. However, the lastest report from IMD says this year monsoon may arrive in Andaman nearly one month late.

UNI