Reviving Water Resources

There is no doubt in the fact that the ongoing PM Surya Ghar Bijli Yojana is going to become the most popular programme of the Indian Government as the benefits under the scheme will start percolating in the places across the country because it has no drawback at all.

In case of J&K, which is self sufficient in providing water for catering to the needs of its residents, it is necessary that this virtue of nature should be utilized judiciously and steps should be taken to rejuvenate the resources which are perennially providing this one of the most essential needs of the humans as well as the flora and fauna of the UT by ensuring its conservation in an impeccable manner. Besides stopping the wastage there is another point required to recharge the water sources to make sure that it remains in abundance in J&K in the coming times as well to cater to the needs of the next generations.

In this regard, the suggestion given by MLA Sham Lal Sharma is invaluable as he has asked the people to go for rain water harvesting to refurbish the depleting water table in the region.

It is pertinent to mention that rainwater harvesting is the process of collecting and storing rainwater for later use. This is typically done by capturing rainwater from rooftops, storing it in tanks or underground reservoirs, and filtering it for various uses such as irrigation, drinking, and household needs. It helps conserve water, reduce dependency on municipal supply, and can alleviate water shortages, especially in regions with limited fresh water. Besides, as discussed earlier, it could be used optimally to rejuvenate the water table, which is the most significant part of this process as due to overuse, the water beneath the surface is witnessing depletion with a very fast pace.

The people in the region should take cues from many countries including Australia, where there are big areas that wholly depend on rain water harvesting to cater to the needs of people and even the animals and plants. There is no harm in emulating such an approach in J&K to ensure replenishment of water bodies without much effort as rains are bound to come and provide water to areas without any distinction.

All said and done, there are certain steps required for conserving rain water for future use and for this the people need money. The Government of India and for that matter even the J&K government led by CM Omar Abdullah can envisage a scheme akin to that of PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Scheme subsidizing rain water harvesting to make is household affair because it could prove gamer changer as far as fulfilling the water needs of the people is concerned.

It is necessary that the concerned authorities should not waste more time on pondering and must come up with this scheme, as it will also be full of benefits and no drawbacks at all.