Water shortage threatens drinking water project, Saryu Roy urges release of more water from Chandil Dam

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, May 15: Residents in the Moharda area of Jharkhand are facing a potential crisis of drinking water supply as the water level in the Moharda drinking water project has fallen due to insufficient flow from the Chandil Dam according to local officials and Saryu Roy who represents the constituency.

For the past two months, Saryu Roy has been calling on the state government, the Subarnarekha Project, the district administration and Jamshedpur Notified area Committee (JNAC) to release at least 50,000 cusecs of water from the dam in addition to the minimum environmental flow before the monsoon season begins. Saryu Roy also raised the issue in the recent budget session of the legislative assembly where the government promised to clean the Moharda water project every 15 days to ensure water availability.

However, Saryu Roy claimed that the promise was not fulfilled and the lack of water flow on the weir at the Moharda drinking water project has become a major obstacle in providing adequate clean water supply on time. Saryu Roy said that if the water flow is not increased soon, the project may have to shut down.

According to the National Water Policy of 2003, the first priority for stored water is for drinking, followed by transportation, irrigation, and industry. Saryu Roy accused the government and the administration of neglecting the first priority and favoring the fourth priority.

In response to the situation, Saryu Roy sent a message to the concerned administrative officials including the Chief Engineer of the Chandil Dam, urging them to release the required amount of water flow for the Moharda drinking water project in line with the national water policy. Saryu Roy emphasized that ensuring access to life-saving drinking water is crucial, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Chandil Dam, located on the Subarnarekha River in Jharkhand, is a major water storage facility for the region, supplying water for irrigation, industry, and domestic use. The Moharda drinking water project is one of the main sources of drinking water for the nearby urban and rural areas, serving thousands of people.