Govt ropes in experts to save critical water sources in state

SHILLONG, Dec 10: The state government has engaged experts to study and implement rectification measures for 749 critical water sources identified across Meghalaya.
“Most of the critical sources identified last year — 749 in total — will undergo rectification measures. Experts have been called in, and project preparation is currently under way,” Minister in-charge of the PHE department, Marcuise N Marak, said on Tuesday.
Marak stated that the rectification process will commence during the lean period, once the experts complete their study and prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR). He highlighted that the identified water sources have been geo-tagged, and the department plans to integrate internet-enabled systems in many of these sources. This will allow for automatic alerts to ensure timely maintenance.
When asked if the state government is collaborating with the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) for geo-tagging, Marak clarified that the department is handling the task independently for now.
Regarding the cost involved, the PHE minister lamented the inability to provide the total cost at the current stage. He, however, added that experts are still in the process of identifying the most critical sources and conducting field studies and the DPR will be prepared based on their findings. Earlier this year, the state experienced a severe water crisis, with most water sources drying up.
The late arrival of monsoons exacerbated the problem. Alarmed by this, the state government initiated efforts to identify and conserve water sources to maintain the water table and prevent similar crises in the future.