Several Gaya areas stare at water shortage

GAYA: With sharp dip in the water table, several parts of southern and western parts of the town are facing acute water shortage. Sensing the gravity of the situation, DM Abhishek Singh has set up a control room in Gaya collectorate to monitor water supply in the affected areas. The control room headed by the district panchayati raj officer Sunil Kumar will work in two shifts to monitor and coordinate water supply.
Of the nearly 90,000 holdings of the Gaya Municipal Corporation, less than 50% have access to tap water supplied by the municipal body. Rest of the people have to fend for themselves fetching sub-surface water with high fluoride and arsenic content to meet their needs.
One reason for the sharp decline in water table, according to activist Motibhai is that the monsoon 2018 ended early and there were no winter rains to replenish the sub-surface water. “Even in areas where tap water is available, the supply is erratic due to poor maintenance of the supply line, leakages and unauthorised water withdrawal,” says Falgu Bachao activist Brijnandan Pathak.
“A long-term solution to the problem was needed as the water crisis would only deepen in the coming days,” said the activist and the long term solution lay in the construction of a low height barrage on Falgu river to prevent outflow of the water and its wastage. During his stint as the CM, Jitan Ram Manjhi took the initiative for a Rs 650 crore project for Falgu barrage. The project was subsequently shelved.
About a decade back, Gaya town MLA and the then urban development minister Prem Kumar mooted a proposal to link Falgu with Ganga to make Falgu a perennial river. As of now Falgu enjoys a seasonal river status and on account of its highly porous sub-surface, the river remains dry for most of the year.
According to the geologists, there was a bowl like formation deep inside the river bed and the water stored in this bowl-like formation is pumped out and supplied through taps but on account of rising population and changing life style, the water stored in the bowl like formation cannot meet the water requirement of the town.
Former DM Sanjay Singh had mooted the proposal to end the city’s dependence solely on Falgu for water needs and augment water available in Jamune, Morhar and other local rivers to meet the need.
To make things worse, almost 75% of the water bodies of the town like Kathokar talab, North Dighi talab, Baniapokhar, Koil Pikhar, Gangati Pokhar etc. have almost disappeared.