While ground water facilities are good for increasing the accessibility of people to both drinking water and irrigation facilities during prolonged dry spells, the threat of contamination arising from use of pesticides and fertilisers necessitates a timely intervention from the concerned Government Departments tasked the jobs of protecting waste sites and implementing land use policies.
Amid unprecedented dry spells both in Summer and Winter seasons the ground water availability plays a crucial role not only in maintaining the accessibility of people to drinking water facilities but also for smoothening the practices and procedures of irrigation facilities for the crops on which the livelihoods of more than half of the population depends both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Water crisis threatening livelihoods of people connecting with the agriculture farming and apple industry for the second consecutive year in Jammu & Kashmir necessitates an immediate attention of the policymakers and intervention of the Government at the highest level to increase the accessibility of people to ground water facilities for both drinking and as well as irrigation purposes across Jammu & Kashmir.Though people in Jammu & Kashmir in yesteryears always preferred to use ground water more for agriculture purposes and very less for drinking purposes but after witnessing prolonged dry spells in last two consecutive years the interest of farmers in using ground water even for drinking water purposes has unprecedentedly increased. With people finding a situation compulsion in using ground water for both agriculture and drinking purpose in the aftermath of prolonged dry sells in last two consecutive years the ground water the capacity to drill wells in more and more villages necessitates immediate attention and intervention of several Government Departments particularly Agriculture, Horticulture, Irrigation and Jal Shakti Departments. While ground water facilities are good for increasing the accessibility of people to both drinking water and irrigation facilities during prolonged dry spells, the threat of contamination arising from use of pesticides and fertilisers necessitates a timely intervention from the concerned Government Departments tasked the jobs of protecting waste sites and implementing land use policies.
“The contamination threats to ground water resources can be better resolved through public awareness programs on their protection and preservation in schools, colleges and universities. Community engagement for implementing the initiatives related to groundwater management with focus on efficient use of water for both drinking and irrigation facilities could be a lasting solution for combating the contamination threats.”
True it is that groundwater requirements attract much greater attention than what it used to get in yesteryears but vulnerability of groundwater resources to use of fertilisers and pesticides necessitates some remediation measures rights in the earnest. Strategies to enhance groundwater preservation and introduction of remediation measures for reducing the threats of contamination arising from use of fertilisers and pesticides demand and deserve an equally greater attention from the Government Department tasked the job of tapping the ground water potential in Jammu & Kashmir. Finally the contamination threats to ground water resources can be better resolved through public awareness programs on their protection and preservation in schools, colleges and universities. Community engagement for implementing the initiatives related to groundwater management with focus on efficient use of water for both drinking and irrigation facilities could be a lasting solution for combating the contamination threats.
