Why Srinagar city is grappling with drinking water crisis
The drinking water crisis in Srinagar, a city dotted with fresh water resources including lakes, is unthinkable. But it is a stark reality that people of the summer capital have been facing acute shortage of drinking water for the last several years.
The drinking water shortage is ascribed to dry winters and hot summers in the last over a decade. This has resulted in fast retreating of glaciers which subsequently leads to low water discharge in drinking water sources including lakes in Summer and Autumn months.
Drinking water supply in Srinagar is dependent on surface water sources—Dachigam Nallah, Jhelum river, Sindh extension canal, Sukhnag Nalah, and Dood Ganga. The city gets drinking water from various plants including Rangil, Nishat, Alesteng, Pokhribal, Doodhganga, Mehjoor Nagar, Sukhnag, Tangnar, Rakhi Zakura, Syedpora-Darbagh and Harwan.
As per official figures, against the present installed capacity of 92.425 Million Gallons Per Day (MGD), the available generation is 78.425 MGD while the demand is 85.57 MGD—indicating that Srinagar city is water deficient. Due to prolonged dry spell, there is presently severe raw water shortage.
As compared to discharge of 700 cusecs per day in Dachigam nallah in April, there is presently discharge of less than 30 cusecs. Dachigam Nalllah feeds the revamped Sarband (water reservoir) at Harwan. The reservoir was constructed by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1904 to provide clean water supply to Srinagar city. It was rejuvenated as part of the ‘Mission Amrit Sarovar’, however, the reservoir is presently dry due to prolonged dry spell and low discharge from Dachigam nallah.
Dal Lake is one of the major water sources for Nishat water filtration plant.
The water of the lake is supplied to the filtration plant through powerful pumps. Drawing water from the lake too depends on its level. There has been a reduction in inflow of water to the lake due to melting of glaciers.
Dal lake is fed by Marsar, a glacial oligotrophic alpine lake through two main sub-watersheds Dhara Danihama and Dachigam falling in its catchment. Spanning over 337 sq kms, the lake’s catchment comprises human habitations, denuded mountains, karewas, perennial plants, open scrub, agricultural fields and barren land. A few hours of rains brings tons of sediments and pollutants to the lake drastically affecting its eco-system. This puts extra pressure on Nishat water filtration plant to treat the sediment laden waters.
Similarly Doodh Ganga stream, which is one of the sources of drinking water for Srinagar’s uptown areas, is facing threats of extinction due to unabated flow of sewage and dumping of solid waste.
Originating from glaciers in Pir Panjal mountain, the water of Doodh Ganga was so clear till a few decades ago that it was known as “stream of milk.” Doodh Ganga is one of the tributaries of river Jhelum and passes through several areas of Budgam and Srinagar and enters Hokersar wetland.
However, in absence of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), most of the drains in the entire stretch of Doodh Ganga from Chadoora to Srinagar flow into this stream. The recent report of the J&K Pollution Control Committee (PCC) on Doodh Ganga submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) states that its water quality is “very dangerous and isn’t fit for drinking.”
The water analysis report stated that water at Chadoora town and its downstream of Doodh Ganga contains ammoniacal nitrogen, high concentrated sulphates plus calcium and magnesium. Are water filtration plants designed to treat contaminated raw water? People of Srinagar have been complaining of receiving drinking water with a pungent smell despite the cleaning and chlorination process. Health experts have been blaming contaminated drinking water supply for rise in gastro-intestinal infections and other ailments among its end users.
It is horrific that despite having abundant water resources, we are craving for clean drinking water! Isn’t it our religious and social responsibility to take care of our water resources? We are stalking a bleak future. Indicators are clear of looming environmental threats. This year, river Jhelum, considered to be Kashmir’s lifeline, witnessed lowest water levels. There have been prolonged dry spells in Kashmir this year severely affecting agriculture and horticulture sectors besides hitting power generation.
Experts have predicted that Kashmir will experience frequent and prolonged droughts from the mid to end of the 21st century—making it a new norm during 2051-2099 due to the climate change. And the demand for drinking water is ever increasing. Rapid growth in population coupled with migrations from rural to urban areas, increase in floating population, especially tourists have created a large gap between supply and demand of drinking water.
People too have to introspect! Till a few decades ago, our water resources including lakes were so clean that we used to directly drink water from these. Water of streams, springs and lakes in Kashmir possessed healing properties. Who polluted and vandalised these natural water resources? It is people among us who encroached, polluted and buried our water resources.
We have to make efforts to conserve our water resources as water is life and our survival depends on it. Otherwise the day is not far away when we will crave for a drop of clean drinking water!
Author is Executive Editor, Greater Kashmir
