16 yrs on, lakhs of litres of water getting wasted daily

While much stress is laid on the conservation of water by government agencies and NGOs, lakhs of litres of precious groundwater is being wasted day and night for more than 16 years now in Talwara. No one has seriously bothered to stop this wastage, and as a result, it has continued unabated since 2010.

The construction of MRPD Government College located on Talwara-Mukerian Road was completed in 2009. In the year 2010, a deep borewell was dug to provide drinking water in the premises of this newly constructed college. As the borewell was completed, water started spewing out on its own. It was then left as it was and a second deep bore well was dug. Again the same problem occurred and water started gushing out of that bore well too on its own.

Since then, nearly 16 years have passed with pure potable water flowing out of both these deep borewells continuously every day, round the clock, without any interruption.

Meanwhile, the contractor left the work unfinished. Neither was the contractor able to stop the flow of water, nor did the local water supply department make any effort in these 16 years to either stop the flow of clean water or put it to use. Not only this, the contractor also left big pipes near the deep borewell and went away. The water continuously flowing out of the deep borewell has accumulated in the surrounding land and spread into the vacant area of the college campus. Due to the continuous flow, the water accumulated in the vacant land of the college campus has taken the form of a pond as well as a jungle.

The then principal of the college, Ram Tirth Singh, had informed the XEN, Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Talwara, in writing through a letter dated March 3, 2014, requesting him to stop or utilise the flow of lakhs of litres of water which keeps coming out of both those deep boreells continuously all the year round. But nothing happened. The local water supply department has also not been able to utilise this continuous flow so far, either for drinking purposes or irrigation. By now, about six to seven acres of vacant land of the college have been submerged in water.

President of the PSPCL Employees Federation, Mukerian Mandal, Bodhraj Talwara and district president of Nasha Mukt Kandi Sangharsh Committee, Subhash Singh, said that if the continuously flowing water turns its direction towards the college building, it can pose a threat to the college itself in future.

College principal Gurmit Singh, however, said there was no threat to the college building so far and the PWD has certified that the college building is safe. “It has rather created a magnificent site of biodiversity as a pond has emerged and several animals drink water there. Also, it has become a habitat for many species. There’s no problem with it,” he said.

Executive Engineer, Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Anuj Sharma said, “The issue is not in my knowledge. I have to check it. Since you have brought it to my notice, I will inquire and seek a report in this regard from the SDO concerned. Let us see what can be done.”