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Heat wave dries up Pithoragarh

PITHORAGARH, APRIL 25. A village in Uttaranchal faces acute drinking water crisis as natural sources have dried up due to severe heat wave in the hilly region. Just as the summer sets in, around 200 families living in Pithoragarh district trudge miles as drinking water supply through pipelines is unreliable.

``In April, May and June we get water only for 15 minutes. Our women have to walk long distances to fetch water,'' Kailash Kapri, a social worker, said.

Residents allege that the pipelines connected to the main water lines are in a bad condition due to poor maintenance.

``We have (drinking water) connection but no water comes,'' Tulsi, a resident, said.

The state has been facing acute water crisis for more than a decade, though three major rivers --Ganga, Mahakali and Alakanda -- run through it.

The state has 25.5 per cent of the total water resources of the country.

Experts believe that the water crisis has largely been caused by mismanagement of the existing water resources.

Out of the 13 districts in Uttaranchal, 11 districts do not have enough drinking water. Some of the water projects are more than 15 years old and do not cover all the villages.

The district authorities, who admit that the water supply system is not properly managed, said they were trying to improve the situation.

``In Pithoragarh, the problem is of distribution. We are putting lines throughout the area to improve distribution. It will take 4-5 months and then the problem will be solved,'' Navin Chandra Sharma, district magistrate of Pithoragarh, said.

Activists, however, say drastic changes in the environment are the reason for the steady depletion of water table in the state. -- ANI

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