Katra faces water shortage

Katra faces water shortage
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Katra, June 16
Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, has been facing drinking water shortage for the past several days.

A visit to various streets and markets of the town revealed that shopkeepers were selling bottles of water. Some residents were providing water free of cost to pilgrims.

Local residents and hoteliers alleged that they had to buy water from tankers to meet their daily requirements.

“There is a nexus between companies manufacturing mineral water bottles and officials of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, which has created the water shortage. We are dependent on tankers, which cost between Rs 600-700 each,” said hotel owner Bhushan Sharma.

He said they had taken up the issue with the authorities, but no steps had been taken to end the shortage. “Since, the PHE Department has failed to provide adequate water to the town, it should seek the help of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), which can solve the problem as there is no water shortage on the track from Katra to Bhawan,” added Bhushan.

Local MLA Baldev Raj Sharma said he was helpless. “A large number of tourists visit the town between May and June. The department concerned has failed to take steps to end the crisis,” he said and added that he had even raised the issue in the state Assembly.

“The supply of water to Katra is only 5 lakh gallons at present against a requirement of 20 lakh gallons daily. Erratic power supply has added to the problem,” he alleged.

He also pointed out that the natural water sources from where the authorities used to bring water had turned dry and they were totally dependant on the Jhajjar water lifting project, which is almost 13 km away from the town.

Sham Lal Kesar, president, Katra Hoteliers, Restaurants and Lodges Association, also criticised the state government and appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Governor NN Vohra to take steps to solve the problem.

A senior official of the shrine board said that on an average, nearly 35,000 to 40,000 pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine daily.

Minister for PHE Taj Mohi-ud-Din said, “The shortage of water happens in the summer. However, we have started a number of projects in the area, which will solve the problem”.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Water scarcity worries world famous basmati growers

Water scarcity worries basmati growers
Archit Watts/TNS

Jammu, June 16
Growers of basmati rice in the RS Pura area of the Jammu region are eagerly awaiting the monsoon to hit Jammu and Kashmir, as the sowing season has already started and water scarcity is affecting the crop.

RS Pura is known as the rice bowl of the state.“The sowing of rice has already started, but choked canals have affected it. Most of the canals are dry and our produce is now totally dependant on the rain,” said Chaudhary Dev Raj, president of the RS Pura Rice Growers Association.

He alleged that though the government was aware that the rice growers were facing water scarcity, it had not made any arrangement. “Though the Agriculture Department has distributed hybrid seeds to the farmers this year, it has forgotten its prime duty to provide adequate water to the rice growers,” Dev Raj said.

He demanded that either the Agriculture Minister or officials of the department should solve the farmers’ problem, otherwise, the area would lose its name for producing quality basmati rice.

Minister for Irrigation Taj Mohi-ud-Din had recently said the department had removed silt from almost all canals in the state. “If there is any canal still choked or dry, we will definitely remove silt and garbage from it to ensure that water reaches the tail end,” said Taj.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the monsoon is likely to hit the state on July 1. “As per our forecast, the monsoon will hit the state well on time and it will last a longer period, as this year has been cooler as compared to the previous years,” said Sonam Lotus, in charge of the IMD.

He said the monsoon always brought cheer to the farmers, as water was the basic requirement of every crop. “The farmers of the Jammu region will definitely get a respite from the water problem, as most of the agriculture land falls under the rain-fed area”.

Growers of basmati rice await the monsoon as the sowing season
has started

Water scarcity affecting the crop

Farmers rue poor irrigation facilities and government apathy

Courtesy: The Tribune