PHE&WS Secretary Rinchin Tashi during a recent talk said that 652 critical and 650 sub-critical water resources are on the verge of drying in the state.
In a state which is massively dependent on natural water resources, right from drinking water to agriculture use, the statistics is deeply worrying.
The department must work with the communities to revive these drying and dying water resources, involving indigenous methods. Engineers should be trained so that the department may become partners with the communities.
The secretary credited the drying water sources to immense pressure on underground mountain aquifers because of climate change, seismic activity, environmental degradation and change in the land use pattern more towards infrastructural development.
One of the major reasons for the drying up of the water sources is concretization. Itanagar, Pasighat and Naharlagun are good examples where natural water sources have been destroyed because of concrete. This must be stopped at any cost.
Infrastructure can be developed without killing the water sources. As roads are being built, water resources lie damaged. Sometimes it reclaims, which results in flooding, as seen in the capital region.
Therefore, the department and the communities must work together to revive the drying water resources.