Latest news with #PSFFWC
Indian Express
18 hours ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Punjab launches science-driven initiative to study, conserve water resources
In a major development aimed at addressing the escalating water crisis, the Punjab State Farmers' & Farm Workers' Commission (PSFFWC) has launched a science-driven initiative to study and conserve water resources in the state. This comes after a comprehensive report commissioned from the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee, was presented to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and a six-member legislative committee — formed under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann — in 2021. Acknowledging the significance of the report, the committee has now tasked the PSFFWC to expand the study to micro-level, employing advanced techniques like carbon dating, isotope technologies, and seepage pattern analysis. To galvanise expert insights, the PSFFWC also hosted two back-to-back workshops — first, featuring a team from the University of California, USA, led by Sharron Elizabeth Benes and Dr G S Brar; and the second involving water experts from the Punjab Agricultural University, the Panjab University, and the Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare. On Friday, PSFFWC chairman Professor Sukhpal Singh convened a high-level meeting, which was attended by eminent scientists including IIT Ropar's Pushpendra Pal Singh (Dean) and Sarbjot Kaur (Radioactive Tools Expert), IIT Mandi's Harshad Kulkarni and Ranjeet K Jha, NIH Roorkee Scientist-E Gopal Krishan, and Horticulture Department's former director Dr Gurkanwal Singh. The session, coordinated by PSFFWC's administrative officer-cum-secretary Ranjodh Singh Bains, focused on a 15-point agenda, addressing immediate and long-term water management challenges. Key recommendations included advanced isotopic studies and carbon dating to track groundwater depletion, heliborne surveys to identify paleo-channels for aquifer recharge, feasibility studies for a 5-billion cubic metres (BCM) reservoir on Ujh river, scientific aquifer characterisation to establish sustainable extraction limits, use of salt-tolerant and heavy metal-absorbing crops including bamboo species, revival of traditional water bodies and wells for recharge, and flood-resilient agricultural strategies. 'These insights would underpin a state-wide Water Conservation Mission involving top research institutions,' Bains said. The participating institutions — IIT Ropar, IIT Mandi, and NIH Roorkee — gave in-principle approval for collaboration, while a consortium memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed soon, with the PSFFWC to operationalise a comprehensive state-level project focused on groundwater sustainability and pollution prevention. Expressing confidence in the consortium's potential, PSFFWC chairman Sukhpal Singh said: 'This collaboration represents a turning point. With the collective expertise of our scientists and the commission's policy platform, we are poised to deliver transformative solutions to Punjab's water challenges. This initiative is expected to safeguard Punjab's agricultural future, and elevate its stand on the global stage as a model for sustainable water management.'
Hindustan Times
20 hours ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Punjab CM approves 14-point action plan to preserve groundwater
Chandigarh : The Punjab government on Friday gave nod to a 14-point Integrated State Water Plan to preserve and replenish water sources in the state. The Punjab government on Friday gave nod to a 14-point Integrated State Water Plan to preserve and replenish water sources in the state. The plan was approved by chief minister Bhagwant Mann at a meeting of the water resources department here in which he stated that the plan had been prepared in consultation with other departments. He said the situation in Punjab is already alarming as 115 blocks of the state out of total 153 are over exploited in terms of groundwater extraction. The plan focuses on saving the groundwater and enhancing the usage of canal water for various motives, he said. Mann also expressed concern over the annual average of the lowering of water level by 0.7 metre due to extraction of 5.2 billion cubic metre water. He said there was a need to reduce the groundwater demand, decreasing agricultural water demand, improve the irrigation techniques, replenish the groundwater and artificially augment the groundwater. Additionally, efforts must be made for finding other sustainable sources, deep aquifer exploration and promoting use of surface water. He further said that the government is duty bound to give water to every tail end user and has already restored 17,000 water courses with an approximate length of about 6,300 kms and 79 canals after 30 to 40 years of abandonment. About the action plan, he said that it should aim to bring around 15,79,379 hectares area under various water efficient techniques such as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and others instead of conventional irrigation methods to reduce the net water demand and wastage of water by increasing the efficiency. The CM said the plan will focus on restoration of canal water courses and excess available water will be distributed from canal and its distributaries directly to ponds adjacent to canal and distributaries. The water from the pond will be taken to fields through a lift irrigation system, thereby increasing area under surface irrigation, he said, adding that construction of check dams and new ponds will be done. He also laid stress on deep groundwater study to understand the actual situation, The plan also envisages private sector participation in water management under corporate social responsibility. Experts meet to tackle water crisis The Punjab State Farmers' and Farm Workers' Commission (PSFFWC) on Friday held a meeting with water experts and scientists on 15 agenda points on water resources availability and other related issues. In the meeting chaired by PSFFWC chairman Dr Sukhpal Singh, experts emphasized the need for urgent interventions, including advanced isotopic studies and carbon dating to map the state's depleting groundwater resources, heliborne surveys to identify ancient paleo-channels for enhancing recharge, and a focused strategy to address South-West Punjab's severe waterlogging and salinity issues. The meeting was attended by Dr Pushpendra Pal Singh, dean (CAPS), IIT Ropar, Dr Sarbjot Kaur, leading scientist on radioactive tools, IIT Ropar, Dr Harshad Kulkarni, assistant professor, IIT Mandi Dr Ranjeet K Jha, IIT Mandi, and Dr Gopal Krishan, Scientist-E, National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee. Earlier, the discussions followed a study commissioned by PSFFWC from the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee in this regard.
