Jharkhand government has enforced rationing in supply of water to the people of Ranchi, following sharp decrease in ground water level. Water is now being supplied four days a week. In order to mitigate the sufferings of the residents, neither the state’s Drinking Water and Sanitation department (DWSD) nor the Municipal Corporation have taken any remedial measures to resolve the crisis.
The present water supply to Ranchi is being made from three surface water sources namely, Kanke Dam, Hatia Dam and Rukka Dam, having combined capacity of 246 MLD. Before the introduction of water rationing, the water supply covers only 65 per cent population of the municipal corporation area.
Senior citizens of the state capital who are acquainted with the affairs of the state recalled how they were used to avail ground water from the wells and ponds because of their good maintenances.
Ranchi, after being accorded the capital city status, has grown at a rapid pace. The population of Ranchi and its municipal area has expanded to a great extent and thereby the requirement of water has shoot up.
According to Ranchi Municipal Corporation, the population of the city has grown from 5.99 to 8.46 lakh during 1991-2001 period recording 41 per cent decadal growth. But government agencies responsible for water supply failed to develop new water sources neither in the state capital nor in any part of the state to cater to the needs of the people.
Water crisis is being reported from many parts of the state. Experts said the areas of the state, which fall under rain shadow zone, have been declared drought-affected for the past five years. Earlier, the state used to witness rainfall during winter and this helped the reservoirs in storing water. But this winter, there has been no rainfall in the state.
