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Minister for Geology & Mining and Border Affairs Mmhonlumo Kikon addressing at the public awareness programme on ‘Artificial recharge of groundwater in Dimapur valley” on Tuesday.[/caption]
Dimapur, Oct. 17 (EMN): Pointing out at some of the conflicts between countries around the world emerging from water crisis, minister of Geology & Mining and Border Affairs, Mmhonlumo Kikon, today predicted similar conflict between colonies in towns like Dimapur unless the public comes out with strategy to replenish the ground water.
Addressing a public awareness programme on ‘artificial recharge of groundwater in Dimapur valley,” organised by the Department of Geology and Mining at the Directorate of Geology & Mining (DGM) conference hall in Dimapur on Tuesday, Kikon said the policy on groundwater is in process which will become an act. He said a regulatory authority will also be constituted to control over use of ground water by all citizens particularly the industries.
“When we go through the exhaustion of groundwater experience in our own home, this will lead us to have a common policy which will ultimately lead us to have proper co-ordination,” remarked Kikon.
In this connection, he suggested that a joint committee involving the district administration and colony representatives should be constituted in order to carry forward the issues and create public awareness on groundwater without which there will be no achievement.
Asserting that groundwater is an issue which is not seen, he said the government wants everyone to participate to address the issue of ground water as we are still unaware of the depletion of groundwater with random use of it. The legislator, in this connection, affirmed that the government will support with all sincerity to conserve ground water.
“In today’s world we can expect conflicts and crisis over all resources and most importantly on water. Some of the conflicts between countries and states have emerged over water which is not only of global and state level, but it can happen between colonies in a town like Dimapur unless a strategy do not surface to replenish the groundwater,” noted Kikon.
Our thinking has to be challenged with facts so that people participate and engage more into this issue while at the same time create awareness so that we do not go through groundwater depletion.
‘In Dimapur valley, groundwater constitutes the major source of water for domestic use. Over the years, unregulated pumping has led to drastic reduction of groundwater levels in dense settlement area where wells go deeper to extract groundwater,’ stated a handout issued by DGM.
Over exploitation of underground water for domestic, construction, industrial and agricultural use, lack of replenishment of underground water due to constructions including roads and buildings leaving no chance of water to seep down, and lack of vast open spaces causes groundwater depletion, it conveyed.
