PIONEEREDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The current monsoon season has witnessed heavy rains and landslides severely impacting water supply schemes across the State. At present, 2,187 such schemes have been affected though the majority of them have been repaired. Officials from the Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan (UJS) informed that this type of damage to water supply systems occurs every year during the monsoon season due to heavy rains and related factors.
The officials said that out of the 2,187 water supply schemes, 2,184 of the damaged schemes have been restored and efforts to restore the remaining three are ongoing. UJS officials further said that every year, they prepare for such incidents in advance by stockpiling restoration materials, including pipes, fittings and other essential items. This practice has been followed this year too. Dedicated teams have been assigned to each division to facilitate these restoration efforts.
The current monsoon has so far impacted 2,187 water supply schemes across various districts with 366 being affected in Chamoli district, and 324 in Uttarkashi, 291 in Dehradun, 261 in Pithoragarh, 248 in Tehri, 238 in Pauri, 140 in Nainital, 114 in Almora, 107 in Rudraprayag, 57 in Bageshwar and 41 in Champawat.
They further said that although they have not yet estimated the damage to water supply schemes compared to past years, they anticipate that this year’s damage will be greater due to the scale of adverse conditions observed so far. Additionally, the quality of the water supply can sometimes be compromised during the monsoon season. Regarding this, officials said that the UJS ensures that water is disinfected with sodium hypochlorite, for which directions have already been issued. They also urged residents to add chlorine to their water tanks during this season and to drink boiled water whenever possible.It is important to note that while temporary repairs on affected water supply schemes are currently being conducted, permanent restoration will take place after the end of monsoon.
