Lavish usage of water and a lack of water literacy are the major reasons for the shortage of drinking water in Kozhikode district, according to the findings of a water resources mapping carried out in 14 grama panchayats in the district recently.
The mapping was carried out as part of the National Water Campaign funded by NABARD with the slogan ‘Water is Life’.
The survey was done under the aegis of Niravu Vengeri in Kattippara, Koorachundu, Chathamangalam, Mavoor, Madavoor, Unnikulam, Chelannur, Kakkodi, Kuruvattur, Nanmanda, Kunnamangalam, Ullyeri and Moodadi grama panchayats through which the Poonoor River passes.
The exercise was carried out in 240 wards in these panchayats with the help of the 14 trained ‘Water messengers’.
The survey found that climate change and price fluctuation of agricultural products were the major reasons for the decline in agriculture while reclamation of paddy fields and wetlands caused water shortage and drought.
Increased soil erosion, destruction of protective walls of rivers and dumping of non-biodegradable waste in water sources were also pointed out in the mapping.
Solutions to each of these problems were also suggested. Efficient waste management at source level and disposal of non-biodegradable waste under the aegis of the panchayats were proposed.
Check dams
Construction of check-dams on water sources wherever necessary, restriction on sand mining, timely completion of wetland development projects, ensuring the compliance of landowners while undertaking water conservation activities, timely revision of water and soil conservation projects and ensuring public participation in the implementation of various projects were the other suggestions.
Releasing the water resources map on Saturday, District Collector U.V. Jose stressed the need for coordination of various departments for the proper implementation conservation projects. NABARD DGM Baiju Kurup said that projects for the protection of small water sources that had been mapped would be implemented with the help of voluntary organisations, while big water sources would be conserved with government support.
