SHILLONG, Jan 3: The state government has completed the identification and mapping of the 749 water sources under critical conditions. PHE Minister Marcuise N Marak said the rejuvenation work will start after the detailed project report is prepared.
“We have completed the mapping and identification of the critical sources. We plan to initiate rectification of the sources that are getting dry,” he said on Friday.
“We have consulted the experts and we will implement the projects once the DPR is ready,” he said.
Marak said 749 water sources in critical condition have been identified. “A lot of households will be affected if these critical water sources run dry. Once rejuvenated to their original flow, these sources will benefit all the people,” he added.
He said the department is not only working on rejuvenating the water sources but also ensuring their sustainability. “We are trying to do our best to get it done.”
In July last year, the state government said the major sources of water in the state have dried up due to global warming and environmental degradation.
These were the main sources for the supply of potable water to the residents of the state. Shillong and other parts of the state faced an acute shortage of water until the rains arrived and improved the situation.
A Climate Council was also constituted to mitigate climate issues with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma as its chairperson.
Before the arrival of monsoon, the state was reeling under a heat wave and dry spell conditions. The Mawphlang dam, the main reservoir supplying drinking water to Shillong, was drying up. Similarly, the Umiew River that feeds the dam, was also drying up quickly, raising concerns about an imminent water crisis in Shillong.
