Shillong, March 1: The Meghalaya government is leveraging German technology to combat the depletion of vital water sources in the state, Minister in-charge of Public Health Engineering (PHE) Marcuise N Marak said. The initiative, supported by Germany’s KfW Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), focuses on rejuvenating the catchment areas of the Umiew River in East Khasi Hills and the Ganol River in Garo Hills, both of which supply potable water to Shillong and Tura.
“With regard to the drying up of water and river sources, the government has taken up several projects. One is funded by KfW for the Umiew River, and another by ADB for the Ganol River. These projects will address the upstream sources, where activities such as sand mining and stone quarrying have affected water availability. The government has already begun chalking out a plan, and MDMA is overseeing its implementation,” Marak said.
He noted that a key component of the project is public sensitization. “We have already started awareness programs to educate people about the importance of protecting water sources. Similar efforts are being carried out in the catchment areas of the Ganol River, which is the primary water source for Tura. We urge the public to cooperate with the government in preserving these resources for future generations.”
The PHE Department has identified 741 critical water sources that are drying up. “After the completion of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) projects, we received complaints about water shortages. Upon inspection, we found that 741 sources were drying up. This was brought to the government’s notice,” he said.
To address the crisis, the state government last year constituted a Climate Council, comprising six to seven departments dealing with water-related issues. “Under the Chief Minister’s leadership, the council has directed the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR). The government has sanctioned funds, in consultation with PHE department, the Soil and Water Conservation Department has been entrusted with implementing the project, which is currently underway,” Marak said.
He acknowledged that restoring water sources will take time. “This issue cannot be resolved overnight. It may take some more years, but we are committed to finding the best solutions and implementing them effectively,” he added.
Clarifying the funding structure, Marak said, “Germany’s KfW Development Bank is financing the project, with the German government supporting it through ADB. The MDMA Department is handling the entire process in collaboration with German technology.”