The water use policy being drafted for Kasaragod district, facing threat of severe water scarcity due to increasing depletion of groundwater caused by high water extraction rate, will be announced in a month.
Announcing this on Monday, District Collector D. Sajith Babu said that the draft water use policy, which has already been discussed by the District Development Committee, has been sent to people’s representatives to get their suggestions and opinions. The project plan document on water use will be prepared in three months based on the water use policy to be announced after incorporating the views of the people’s representative, he said. The water use policy is being finalised as part of the Central government scheme, Jalashakthi Abhiyan, being implemented in the district to increase the groundwater level. The district’s rate of extraction of groundwater resources is the highest in the State. While the State average of the extraction is 51.27%, the extraction rate in this district is 79.65%.
Last week, Ashok Kumar Singh, who is the Centre’s representative of the Jalashakthi Abhiyan, visited the district to review the situation. Kasaragod is one of the 255 districts in the country that are facing drinking water shortage. In the State Jalashakthi Abhiyan is being implemented in Kasaragod and Palakkad districts.
