Udaipur: Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Tuesday said that even as the state government fulfilled the target of the Jal Jeevan Mission and made arrangements for tap water in 17 lakh houses, there continue to remain challenges due to lack of rainfall and snowfall.
Speaking at the 2nd All India State Water Ministers’ Conference, held in Udaipur, the Deputy Chief Minister observed that steps must be taken so that future generations do not face scarcity of water. Apart from Agnohotri, others who attended the event included Union Minister CR Patil, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, among others.
‘Himachal Pradesh facing challenges due to scarcity of rains and snowfall’
“Himachal Pradesh has fulfilled the target of the Jal Jeevan Mission and made arrangements for tap water supply for 17 lakh houses across the state. However, due to the scarcity of rain and snowfall, the water sources are declining. Therefore, providing water to every household is becoming a big challenge.
He added, “Scientific studies have revealed that Himalayan glaciers are melting by 20 to 30 metres per year. Along with this, due to changes in climate, our underground water resources are also under tremendous pressure. Due to which water crisis is increasing.”
Hill states face challenges due to geographical conditions: Mukesh Agnihotri
Pointing out the challenges faced by hill states, he added, “Along with water resource transformation, Himachal Pradesh and other hill states are facing challenges due to geographical conditions. In the tribal areas of Himachal, pipelines get clogged in winter. My proposal is that separate funding should be arranged for these areas.”
