Abstract Title

Urban Water Security in the Darjeeling Himalaya, India

Description

The study highlights the issue of water crisis and the essence of urban water security in the hill towns of Darjeeling Himalaya, India. Attaining the goals of water security has always been a challenging task for the growing urban centres in the Himalayas. The major towns of Darjeeling Himalaya viz. Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik suffer from acute seasonal water scarcity and lack equitable water availability and accessibility. Due to several geo-political and socio-economic factors the official water supply system of these Himalayan towns are not in a position to cater their daily water demand. The present study attempts to identify and asses the various factors that governs the aspects of urban water security in the region. A rigorous field survey was conducted in the year 2019-21 and the status of water security of different towns have been analysed and studied with the help of Urban Water Security Indices (UWSI). The UWSI is computed by using PSIR framework that analyses 35 parameters of water security system and standardizes the nature of water security in the respective towns. The study reveals that about 70% of the urban population do have access to public water supply and are compelled to depend on the alternative local water sources such as natural springs, muhans or dharas. However, the quality and quantity of these springs are deteriorating day by day owing to rapid urbanization, wanton deforestation, climate change and poor water governance. The perennial springs are turning seasonal and seasonal springs are drying alarmingly. Water samples of majority of the springs are highly contaminated with Coliform and E coli. Such a decline in the quality and quantity of local water sources has adversely affected water security system in the region. The study suggests that in order to enhance the circumstances or to do away with the prevailing water crisis an integrated urban water security framework focusing on the improvement of all the factors of water security must be adopted. An urgent intervention incorporating the Public private and community level initiatives must be undertaken to achieve sustainability in urban water supply system.

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Dec 4th, 12:00 AM

Urban Water Security in the Darjeeling Himalaya, India

The study highlights the issue of water crisis and the essence of urban water security in the hill towns of Darjeeling Himalaya, India. Attaining the goals of water security has always been a challenging task for the growing urban centres in the Himalayas. The major towns of Darjeeling Himalaya viz. Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik suffer from acute seasonal water scarcity and lack equitable water availability and accessibility. Due to several geo-political and socio-economic factors the official water supply system of these Himalayan towns are not in a position to cater their daily water demand. The present study attempts to identify and asses the various factors that governs the aspects of urban water security in the region. A rigorous field survey was conducted in the year 2019-21 and the status of water security of different towns have been analysed and studied with the help of Urban Water Security Indices (UWSI). The UWSI is computed by using PSIR framework that analyses 35 parameters of water security system and standardizes the nature of water security in the respective towns. The study reveals that about 70% of the urban population do have access to public water supply and are compelled to depend on the alternative local water sources such as natural springs, muhans or dharas. However, the quality and quantity of these springs are deteriorating day by day owing to rapid urbanization, wanton deforestation, climate change and poor water governance. The perennial springs are turning seasonal and seasonal springs are drying alarmingly. Water samples of majority of the springs are highly contaminated with Coliform and E coli. Such a decline in the quality and quantity of local water sources has adversely affected water security system in the region. The study suggests that in order to enhance the circumstances or to do away with the prevailing water crisis an integrated urban water security framework focusing on the improvement of all the factors of water security must be adopted. An urgent intervention incorporating the Public private and community level initiatives must be undertaken to achieve sustainability in urban water supply system.