‘Scarcity of water is ever increasing in the state’

N Benjamin Newmai, Secretary for Geology & Mining, speaks at the awareness programme on ‘Sustainable & need based development of ground water in hilly areas’ at Hotel Japfü in Kohima on Wednesday, September 30. (Morung Photo)

Kohima | September 30 : Viewing the ample scope for harnessing ground water resources in hilly areas of the state, the department of Geology & Mining is all set to focus on development of ground water in the state. Geology & Mining department’s Secretary, N Benjamin Newmai, has stated that every department and individual have to play an important role for sustainable development and management of water resources.
“The experts in hydrogeology, together with the engineers from various departments and stakeholders, must coordinate with each other and work hand in hand to harness dynamic ground water resources and enhance the availability of water resource in all sectors and at all times,” Newmai said while speaking at an awareness programme on ‘Sustainable & need-based development of ground water in hilly areas’ here at Hotel Japfü. This awareness programme was organised by the Geology & Mining department as part of its ongoing programme on exploration-cum-development of ground water resources in hilly areas of the state.
Like any other hilly state in the region, Newmai said, the state of Nagaland has distinct physical and physiographic characters with almost 95 per cent of its total area covered by hilly terrain with limited valley areas. The state is also bestowed with enormous natural resources including rainfall and scenic beauty of landscapes and waterfalls in the hills. “However, in-spite of its complexity in nature and difficult terrain, urbanisation and developmental activities in the hilly areas are emerging fast during the last few years coupled with increase in population. Consequently, the demand and need for fresh water resources in all sectors is increasing tangentially which is posing a challenge before us for holistic approach,” he said.
It is an undeniable fact that scarcity of water is ever increasing in hilly areas of the state, he said, adding that in the recent past, it was also observed that rainfall in the state and region is becoming scanty and erratic due to various factors and natural phenomena which has direct bearing on availability of surface water.
Stating that the available surface water from all sources are not useable or tappable to contain the ever increasing demand of water in hilly areas, especially during the lean periods, and that surface water resource alone is no longer assured to meet the water requirement in all sectors, Newmai said, “Under the said circumstances, sustainable and need based development of ground water resources at suitable hydro-geological conditions is the only alternative for sustenance.”
Referring to ground water, which constitutes nearly 70 per cent of the world’s freshwater, as playing a key role in the socio-economic development for the nations, Newmai said, “In Nagaland too, major water requirement is met from ground water in Dimapur valley wherein it has greatly facilitated the socio-economic upliftment and increased productivity particularly in the agricultural sectors.” He also added that in the hilly areas of the state, exploratory drilling of a few tube wells in some of the district headquarters by the Geology & Mining department has proven the availability of potential ground water resources. The data generated from these wells indicated that ground water in hilly hard rock areas are restricted to secondary geo-structures through which ground water movement is controlled, he said and added that the department is in the process of accessing its quantitative and qualitative aspects precisely in all the districts of the state as well as interconnection between surface and ground water.
The Geology & Mining Secretary also stated that ground water development is gaining more importance and demand for its development is pressing hard to cater to the basic need of humanity. While attempting to develop this resource, it is of utmost importance to understand its environment of occurrence and underground movement through various rock types, without which development of ground water in unscientific and random manner may result in manmade hazards, Newmai said. Extraction of ground water is another form of underground mining and, as such, optimum care must be taken to avoid any over-exploitation at any point of time, he said.
Newmai said the development of natural resources including ground water through strategic planning, operation, development, management and conservation is the process of sustainable development whereas need-based development emphasises on its judicious development and conjunctive use with surface water. It is in this context, he said, that the key issue for sustainable development of ground water is its scientific management.
Earlier, keynote address was given by G C Saha, Regional Director for CGWB (GoI), NER, Guwahati. S K Kenye, Additional Director, chaired the function while welcome address was given by Er. H K Chishi, Director. The technical session witnessed talk on overview of the developmental scenario on ground water resources in Nagaland, well site selection and construction of well, well developmental process, and well maintenance and its efficiency. The speakers included Additional Director E Kikon, Y R L Patton, geologist, K A Lotha, Joint Director, S Manen, geologist, and Er. Chirhotho Rasutho, drilling engineer.