John Wilbert & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, June 28: The Andaman Group of Islands are facing scarcity of water due to less rainfall this year, despite timely arrival of Monsoon in May 2020.
The South Andaman region, especially the densely populated Port Blair city is worst hit. Situation is so bad that the Port Blair Municipal Council has to managed the water distribution system with only 3 MLD (Million Liter Water Per Day) water instead of actual requirement of 15 MLD.
The Port Blair Municipal Council supplies water to entire Port Blair Municipal Area, the capital town of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the water is obtained from Andaman Public Works Department (APWD).
As the PBMC is getting one fifth of the actual requirement, most part of the city is getting water once in Sixth Day, giving horrible time to Islanders.
“Although in some areas there is sufficient water, where we are making water supply once in four days but major area of Port Blair city is dependent on Dhanikari Dam, where we have to manage for some day. The rain is also delaying. Earlier we thought there will be sufficient rainfall by May end, then we thought in June there will be sufficient rain but it did not happen,” Mr. Udhaya Kumar, the Chairperson of Port Blair Municipal Council said.
He added that once there is sufficient rain and the water level of Dhanikhari Dam reaches near about 50 mtrs the PBMC will be able to resume to normal water supply.
“Presently water is being provided by APWD using several pumps from the Dhanikhari Dam. Per day we require 15 MLD of water but we are getting only 3 MLD of water,” the Chairperson said.
Dhanikhari Dam is the only Dam available for most of the part of South Andaman Islands for water supply.
Now people of Andaman and Nicobar islands are demanding a Jal Board for Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
“I demand that a task force or a Jal Board must be constituted so that one team can work exclusively for water management throughout the year. We need proper planning and can’t depend on only Monsoon,” said Mrs. Sheela Singh, one of the sitting councilor of PBMC.
