Water shortage haunting Mahoba

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Mahoba, May 9 (UNI) Even as the fierce contest at the hustings is over in Uttar Pradesh, the land of legandary warriors, Bundelkhand, continues to fight for safe drinking water.

The rising temperature and dropping ground water level has only added to the woes of the people. The water level has already dropped to seven feet at most places.

Taking note of the precarious situation, the district administration has declared a red-alert and even warned of action against those gulty of wasting water.

Scanty rainfall in the last five years has further made water a scarce commodity here. All the water bodies, including rivers, wells, ravines and ponds have shown a major fall in their water levels in the past few years.

There are about a dozen small and big dams and embankments, besides 250 ponds in the district, but due to little or no rainfall, most of them have partially dried up.

Especially, people of Jaitpur and Panvadi areas have to travel long distances to fetch potable water for their livelihood.

Not only humans, even livestock are finding it difficult to survive due to the lack of water.

The water department and concerned officials are striving hard to overcome the crisis, but have done precious little to help the situation.

Interestingly, the dismal scenario has provided a perfect business opportunity to a few enterprising individuals, who are even selling water at the rate of Rs 30 per 15 litres.

Jal Sansthan executive engineer Ramnath attributed the present situation to the drying up of the Madan Sagar Pond -- the main source of water in the area.

He claimed the district administration had been apprised in this regard and a demand to fill the pond from Urmil Dam put forward.

However, Irrigation department executive engineer Kamta Prasad maintained that Urmil Dam does not have sufficient water to fill the pond, as there was a high possibility of evaporation in the ravines along the 26-km long route due to rising temperatures.

Taking note of the development, District Magistrate Sameer Verma has directed officials to overcome the crisis as soon as possible and provide respite to the water-starved populace.

Jal Nigam executive engineer Jagroop Singh has assured that the district would tide over the crisis within a year.

Mr Singh informed the ongoing Urmil Water Project would help overcome the sorry state of affairs.

UNI

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