Sensitising people on judicious dev & conservation of groundwater

Correspondent
KOHIMA, OCTOBER 25

CONCERNED over the acute shortage of the water faced throughout Nagaland, specially during the lean period and its ever increasing demand, the department of Geology and Mining, Nagaland today held a workshop on “Judicious development & Conservation of Groundwater” as part of the Water Conservation Year 2013 declared by the Union government.Speaking as the chief guest of the inaugural function, Minister for Planning & Co-ordination, evaluation and Geology & Mining TR Zeliang said the workshop is being held to sensitize the people of the country the importance and need of conservation and judicious use of water at all levels.
Maintaining that water conservation is one of key objectives of National Water Mission, he said that the mission envisages conservation, minimizing wastage and ensuring more equitable distribution of water both across and within the states through integrated water resources development and management.
Expressing that the State is bestowed with enormous water resources including ground water and scenic beauty of landscapes and waterfalls in the hills, he however said, “With urbanization and developmental activities in the State gaining moment, the need to address the issue of fresh water resources specially during the lean periods, has posed a challenge to the State Government.”
He said the Geology & Mining Department has initiated exploration and development of ground water resources in the hilly areas of the state and successfully established the potential and existence of ground water enhancing the availability of water resources in the State.
Observing that ground water has assumed a critical importance to meet the ever growing need of the state for drinking, domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes, he stressed on the need to educate the mass public in creating awareness about conservation of water.
Zeliang also stressed on the importance of understanding the environmental occurrence and underground water movement through various rock types, failure of which would lead to wasteful development of vital resources.
He further emphasized on strategic planning, operation and management as the key for conservation and development of water resources while sustainable and need based development as key to judicious development.
“Available ground water must therefore be optimally developed and used efficiently in a beneficial way under appropriate priority of use consistent as per requirement,” he said.
Zeliang also stated that in view of the varied hydrological condition in the state, technologies for judicious development and augmentation of ground water resources, suitable to the different hydro-geological situations and economically viable, have to be evolved through intensive studies and experimentation,” he added.
Expressing delight that scientists from Central Ground Water Board, NER Ministry of Water Resources had come to animate and highlight the workshop, he said that water related issues and its management is a vast subject requiring a realistic approach, needing deliberation, exchange of innovative ideas and views on water management related issues both from the public and experts.
The Minister also released the Hydro-geological report in Nagaland.
SK Kenye, Director, DGM in his welcome address pointed out the purpose of the workshop as a gathering to listen to expert opinion/views and for technical deliberation as to how to develop and conserve the limited groundwater resources for our day to day life.
The meeting was chaired by Secretary Geology & Mining and Sericulture, Bendang Longchari while Addl. Director E. Kikon gave a presentation of the Ground Water Development scenario in Nagaland.
Later during the technical sessions presentations were made on Aquifer Mapping Techniques, Conservation of ground water through Artificial recharging, judicious development of ground water were presented by scientists and experts. The Vote of thanks was deliberated by Er. R. Nakhro, Jt. Director, DGM Nagaland.