Rains disrupt water, power supply in Kumaon region

BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, July 3

Continuous heavy rains for last two days have disrupted drinking water, and electricity supply and damaged roads in the Kumaon region.

According to reports, swollen rivulets in the Johar, Darma and Byans valleys of Pithoragarh district have damaged roads and track routes, affecting movement of people from higher valleys to lower areas and forcing the government to evacuate them by helicopters. In lower valleys, rains have disrupted drinking water and electricity supply.

Rains have disrupted electricity supply to the Dwarahat block in Almora and the Tamli region of Champawat district for the last one week as trees fell on power lines. “Big trees fell on electricity lines, disrupting power supply to some villages. However, we are working to restore electricity lines and supply in a day or two,” said Yogesh Tiwari, an engineer in the Electricity Department.

In the Darma valley, suspension and folding bridges linking various villages have washed away in heavy rains. “We construct wooden bridges in our valley every monsoon as bridges constructed by government contractors wash away in the first spell of rain,” said Krishna Garbiyal, a resident of the Vyans valley.

Twelve of the 16 folding bridges constructed in the Vyans valley after the natural disaster in 2013 washed away this year. “We are preparing the design of a permanent bridge that would last for a long time,” said PC Joshi, PWD Executive Engineer, Didihat.

Meanwhile, Almora town is facing a drinking water crisis as pumps used for lifting water from the Koshi river have got clogged due to silt. “We have started supplying drinking water through tankers in the town,” said a Jal Sansthasn engineer in Almora.