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Tariff to be imposed on drawing water from Mussoorie lake after NGT rap

Mar 12, 2023 05:17 PM IST

The tribunal directed the state pollution control board and district magistrate, Dehradun, to “ensure that no private vendor draw any water to carry through taker for supply for commercial use by the hotels and any violation will attract imposition of environmental compensation payable by such vendors and users, i.e., hotels.”

After the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the use of water from Mussoorie lake for commercial purposes and directed to formulate a water policy for the town to safeguard the environment around the water bodies, the local administration has stepped up its effort to ensure that corrective measures are taken without any delay.

The NGT, New Delhi, in its order on January 12 prohibited withdrawal of water from the Mussoorie Dhobighat water spring (Representative Photo)
The NGT, New Delhi, in its order on January 12 prohibited withdrawal of water from the Mussoorie Dhobighat water spring (Representative Photo)

Mussoorie sub-divisional magistrate Nandan Kumar said, “The Pey Jal Nigam has been directed to lay down the sewerage pipeline and link it with the sewage treatment plant so that the untreated water from the Dhobighat does not enter the spring at Mussoorie lake and the Jal Sansthan has been directed to fix a tariff for the commercial use of the water from the spring source.”

The NGT, New Delhi, in its order on January 12 prohibited the withdrawal of water from the Dhobighat water spring, a water source in Mussoorie for commercial purposes.

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The tribunal directed the state pollution control board and district magistrate, Dehradun, to “ensure that no private vendor draw any water to carry through taker for supply for commercial use by the hotels and any violation will attract imposition of environmental compensation payable by such vendors and users, i.e., hotels.”

After the order, the district administration held a series of meetings with local hoteliers and traders making it clear not to draw water through tankers from the spring at any cost, failing which strict action will be taken against them.

NGT in May last year constituted a joint committee of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), the DM, and State Wetland Authority to furnish a factual report on the matter. After considering the report, NGT found that apart from the water connection from Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan, hotels were taking water through tankers from natural water springs at night.

“In view of the report, it is clear that water is being collected from springs near the lake which is bound to adversely affect the flow of water in the lake and downstream. There is no regulation for such drawal for commercial use to the detriment of those who depend on spring for scarce drinking water. Thus, scarce and precious clean water is being unauthorisedly taken from the catchment area of the lake at the cost of the environment as shown by the flow chart report,” the January 12 order by NGT said.

“This situation must be remedied, particularly when water is not surplus. If such drawal of water is not regulated, the content of water in the lake will be substantially reduced and downstream water bodies and water supply will be obstructed, to the detriment of the environment”, the order added.

Meanwhile, the hoteliers concerned about the shortfall due to the NGT ban have urged the administration to allow the use of treated water for commercial use under the close watch of the administration.

Sandeep Sahni, president of Uttarakhand hotel association said, “We welcome the move by NGT directing the agencies concerned to come out with a water policy.” For this, he said, “We have requested (the district administration) to come out with a water policy so that clarity emerges in the matter.

Sandeep Kashyap, executive engineer Pey Jal Nigam Mussoorie said, “The sewage pipeline has already been laid in the Dhobighat area and the work of connecting the households with the sewage pipeline is going on in full swing from where the untreated water will be connected to the sewage treatment plant in Bhatta thus ensuring that untreated water is not discharged in Mussoorie lake spring in future as per the directions of the NGT”.

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The drinking water in Mussoorie is drawn from the 21 natural springs and brooklets in the forest areas around the town and stored in 29 reservoirs across the town. The demand for potable water, especially in peak tourist seasons, is 14.4 million litres per day (MLD) while the present supply is around 7.67 MLD, which is just half of what is required.

LC Ramola, executive engineer, Jal Sansthan Mussoorie said, “The water supply to the town currently is in control and we will be fixing a tariff after the water policy is formulated as per the NGT guidelines for the commercial use.”

“We are also pinning our hopes on the under-construction drinking water project to draw water from Yamuna river which is likely to be completed soon,” he said.

The project to draw the water from the Yamuna river was envisaged in 2020 under the Mussoorie reorganization drinking water scheme at an estimated cost of 124 crores which would supply around 12 million litres per day (MLD) of water from the Yamuna using pipelines that stretch across 17 kilometres in the town thus fulfilling the demand for potable water for next 30 years said the Peyjal Nigam officials.

Rajkumar Chaturvedi, regional officer at the state pollution control board said, “We have begun the monitoring process of the Mussoorie lake spring and will file our progress response in NGT on the next hearing.”

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