High court raises concern over depleting water table in state

Ranchi: The Jharkhand high court expressed concern over the declining water table in Ranchi and the state during a hearing of a suo motu PIL on the encroachment of water bodies and the decrease in water sources in the capital.
The court was informed about research conducted by the Geological Survey of India and the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, which confirmed the constant decline in the water table across the state over the past two years.
Justices Rongon Mukhopadhyay and Deepak Roshan, presiding over the PIL, emphasised the necessity of taking serious steps to conserve water resources and ensure water availability for the state’s residents. The court called upon the govt and the experts to consider methods for replenishing the water table in Jharkhand.
The court was also told about the compromised existence of lakes and ponds over the last five decades, along with scanty rainfall contributing to the dipping water table.
The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) apprised the court of the steps being taken for water harvesting, including mandatory water harvesting in buildings larger than 300 square metres and regular checks to ensure compliance with water harvesting rules by the residents. The civic body’s counsel informed the bench about provisions for imposing fines on residents who do not abide by the rules.
Based on media reports, the bench inquired about water hyacinth in the Kanke and Getalsud dams. It directed the govt to submit a report on the matter.
The next date of hearing is April 22.