Haryana Govt mulls canal-based water supply to Karnal district

Tribune News Service

Parveen Arora
Karnal, May 2

With the groundwater level hitting rock bottom, the state government is mulling canal-based water supply system in Karnal. It plans to set up a canal-based water treatment plant with a capacity of 100 million litres per day (MLD).

PROPOSAL UNDER CONSIDERATION

The government is considering the proposal. We will also discuss the availability of water with the Irrigation Department. Shiv Raj Singh, PHE dept superintending engineer

The district authorities have sent a proposal to the state government. The Public Health Department (PHE) will discuss the availability of water with the Irrigation Department.

If all goes as per the plan, a canal-based water treatment plant will be built on around 42 acres near the Western Yamuna Canal and the treated water will be released into the city’s distribution network.

Notably, there has been rapid and extensive extraction of groundwater in the Karnal block. The state witnessed an alarming downfall of 8.98 m in the groundwater level between 2000 and 2021, while it was 12.86 m in the district during the same time period. The water table of the Karnal block stood at 9.11 m in 2000, which has reached to 18.09 m in 2021. Similarly, the water table of Karnal district was at 8.57 m in 2000, which reached to 21.43 m in 2021.

“To provide an alternative source of water supply, we have sent a proposal to the government. At present, we have tubewell-based water supply system. The canal-based water supply system will reduce the burden on the groundwater,” said Anish Yadav, Deputy Commissioner.

Recently, a report of the state water testing laboratory of the PHE Department revealed that the quality of canal water was much better than the groundwater being supplied to households, commercial and government establishments through taps. The report says the groundwater has higher contents of total dissolved solids, alkalinity and other minerals.

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