GSI looks to tap geothermal reserves in state

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 1

Renewable energy could be the alternative to conventional energy for inhabitants of the upper reaches Himachal Pradesh. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is undertaking an assessment of geothermal fields along the Sutlej and Spiti rivers, which may, in the coming years, lead to tap geothermal resources for direct utilisation such as greenhouse farming, space heating and baleonological uses by the local populace.

Under a two-year project approved this year, the GSI will monitor the discharge, temperature and geochemistry of thermal springs in this region along with altercation of rocks due to thermal activity and other associated geological and tectonic parameters.

GSI scientists say thermal spring area is spread over 150 km area in Sutlej and Spiti valleys from Tattapani near Shimla to Chuza-Sumda in the northeast part of the state close to the Indo-Tibetan border. There are 12 thermal spring localities and out of which two are in the Spiti valley at Chuza and Sumdo and remaining 10 in the Sutlej valley.

Under the Twelfth Plan, monitoring of geothermal manifestations in the seismically sensitive zones of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand was taken up in on the basis of varied geochemistry of the water samples of the past seasons. Thermal spring localities are mainly confined to the inner Himalayan terrains which are seismically active zones with altitude range of 1,000m-4,000 meters above sea level.

The zone under observation is 10-40 kms wide along the Main Central Thrust, passing across major valleys in these two states. These areas experience frequent seismic activities which are generally tectonically related.

Over the past two years, thermal spring localities in this region were monitored biannually before and after monsoon by GSI scientists, for water and gas chemistry, thermal alteration and other activities. The study of Tapoban, Paiyan, Gulabkoti, Langsi, Birahi and Gari hot springs in Dhauli-Alaknanda valley and Kasol-Manikaran, Bashist, Kalath, Mujuri Bihal and Rampur hot springs in Beas-Parbati valleys will ascertain the quality of thermal water, indication of reservoir characters and possible resource potential.