Bihar may face water crisis from January-February next year as 275 of 540 blocks have been declared drought-hit, worried chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday but said the government is charting out a plan to fight it.
Speaking at the 11th foundation day of the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority, he said the government will ensure supply of drinking water to villages and mark water bodies for availability when the groundwater table plummets. The chief minister is the authority’s chairman.
“Drought has been declared in 275 blocks across 24 districts (Bihar has total 38 districts). The groundwater level is going down, so there could be scarcity of drinking water from January-February,” Nitish said. “I have asked my officials to ensure drinking water for the people. I have told them to make arrangements for tankers and chart out a route so that drinking water is provided to all the affected villages. I am regularly reviewing the situation on my level.”
Minister for disaster management Dinesh Chandra Yadav, disaster management authority vice-chairman Vyasji and member P.N. Rai, former National Disaster Management Authority members Muzaffar Ahmad and K.M. Singh, disaster management, principal secretary, Pratyaya Amrit, chief minister’s principal secretary Chanchal Kumar, Bihar Police Building Construction Corporation chairman-cum-managing director Sunil Kumar, CID, additional director-general Vinay Kumar, Patna airport director Rajender Singh Lahauria were present at the celebrations.
Speaking on the drought situation in the state, Nitish pointed out that cattle suffer because of water scarcity and the government was making efforts there too.
“In case of water scarcity, people with no resources leave their cattle behind. We have identified big ponds where water will be available by use of solar pumps. Special camps will be set up near the ponds for cattle. We won’t let cattle die,” Nitish asserted, adding that he had felt drought coming the state’s way when easterly winds started blowing during the “Vaishakh” month of the Hindu calendar — roughly April according to the Gregorian calendar.