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1993-95
Provided potable drinking water in
the draught hit villages of Himachal Pradesh.
Sponsored by Himachal Pradesh
Government and UNICEF
It was believed that rivers and
stream of Himachal could provide potable to the people and
adequate water for agriculture, but contrary to this belief
villages of this mountain state were facing an acute shortage on
both issues, as the streams had discharges that fluctuated from
very little in summers to flood level during the monsoons and had
freezing problems in winters. Groundwater potential was yet to be
realized and works was mainly confined to the inter-mountain
valley region only. Mountains in general were thought to be devoid
of any significant water resources. I undertook several
exploratory programs in the Una, Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla and
Lahual-Sipti, District of Himachal Pradesh by drilling on top of
the mountains which were previously thought to be ground water
deficient areas. I succeeded in providing safe drinking water in
more than 200 draught hit villages. Besides water was provided to
several industries and building complexes, thereby improving the
lot of the people.
1994-95
In 1994 was awarded a project sponsored by Department of Science
and Technology, Himachal Pradesh to prepare a pilot project to
find sustainable water solutions to solve drinking water problem
in the draught hit villages of the mountain state.
During this project I was able to
understand the scientific basis of the movement and occurrence of
groundwater in the mountains. Based on these hydrological and
geological observations and borehole data from more then 6000
borewells.
1996
I was able to classify the entire Himalayas into 7 different
“Hydrostratigraphic zones” which was presented in International
geological Congress, 1996 held in China and later was able to
understand the scientific basis of the movement and occurrence of
groundwater in the mountains which helped to prepare a “Conceptual
Model to explain movement of groundwater resources in Himalayas”
which was widely accepted in an International groundwater congress
held in Melbourne, 1998.
All this data helped in preparing
“Model water supply schemes” for sustainable development in the
Himalayas in near future. These observations were presented by me
in an International Geological Congress held in China, 1996.
1996-99.
Provided safe drinking water to the Sonamling Tibetan settlement,
at Choglamsar, Leh, Ladakh.
Sponsored by: Water Aid, UK based,
NGO run by British Royalty and . .
Tibetan Government in Exile of his holiness Dalai Lama.
Sonamling Settlement, a habitation
of about 10000 Tibetans who settled in the deserts of Choglamsar,
Leh-Ladakh, after they fled Tibet, following Chinese aggression in
1959.
Prior of this project that is for
the last 40 years there was acute shortage of drinking water. The
residents had to wait throughout the day to collect a meager
amount (of 5-10 liters of water per day per family) from the water
tankers supplied erratically by the local government. In case of
emergency they collected water from near by Water Canal, which was
as good as sewerage canal and water was very unhygienic.
Groundwater resources were considered to be absent as the earlier
theories confined these resources only to the banks of
rivers/streams. After carrying out detailed hydrogeological
exploration I successfully developed the groundwater resources by
drilling borewells with the help of suitable rigs.
The success of the project entirely
changed the scenario and people enjoyed sustainable safe drinking
water throughout the year, especially in winters when temperatures
drop to -30*C. This helped to increase the socio-economic status
of the people as they could now think of earning their livelihood
without worrying about collecting water for their families.
1998-2000
Planned and executed cost effective drinking water supply schemes
to Indian Air Force, at Air Force stations, Thoise in Nubra valley
(Siachen glacier)
Sponsored by: Indian Air
Force
Prior to this project water was
transported in water tankers after collecting the same from Shyok
river. In 1998 Military Engineering Services planned a Water
Supply Scheme based on tapping surface water resources and lifting
the same to the station costing approx. Rs. 50 lakh. I completed
this project by exploring and developing groundwater resources at
an expenditure of less than Rs 20 Lakhs only, thereby saving the
government approx. Rs. 30 lakhs. The scheme is running
successfully.
1999-2002
Conceptualised and executed
the project to provide safe drinking water to the troops
(stationed at border posts) in Siachen sector and villagers
located on indo-Pak border where temperatures drop to –40oc
winter.
Sponsored by: INDIAN ARMY, LEH
I worked on projects for Indian
Army during Kargil war and post Kargil war period to provide safe
drinking water throughout the year in difficult and inaccessible
army posts on the border areas in Siachen Sector. This helped to
provide the basic necessity of potable water to the army and
thereby boosting their morale.
DURING KARGIL WAR
Provided safe drinking water at
Army Hospital at Hunder, Base 1 and Base 4 in Siachen Glacier
Sector. Prior to execution of this project the soldiers were
forced to melt ice from the glaciers to drinking water. On the
execution of this project safe drinking water was made available
to them 24 housrs/365 days, even when outside temperature drop to
–40oC.
POST KARGIL WAR
Worked in coordination with Indian Army and Local Jammu and
Kashmir government in a “Sadbhwana Project” aimed at providing
safe drinking water to the Border Villagers of Tyagshi, Turtuk and
Bhugdong (on Indo-Pak Border) which were in Pakistan prior to 1971
war with Pakistan.
This welfare project was
significant to woo the villagers of the border areas and show them
that the Indian Government is concerned and that they were
integral part of India.
2000-2002
Conceptualized and successfully provided water to the fields in
the mountain deserts of Ladakh thereby helped in starting the
green revolution
Sponsored By: Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO),. Ministry of Defence.
Worked in close coordination with
DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organisation) and FRL
(Field Research Laboratory) to explore and provide water to
increase the agricultural and milk production by developing
groundwater resources. Earlier the FRL at Partapur was on the
verge of closure, because of no water was available. But on my
association with FRL, I started a project based on exploration and
development of groundwater resources which was completed
successfully and the agricultural production increased more then
50 times. As a result of this various vegetables-fruits like
tomatoes, watermelons etc were grown and supplied to Indian Army.
This lad the foundation stone to initiate the Green Revolution in
the high attitude, cold mountain, deserts of Ladakh.
2002-2003
Prepared water supply scheme for
Indian Oil Depot and Air port Authority of India to provide safe
drinking water in the area which were earlier considered to be
devoid of drinking water.
Project sponsored by Airport
Authority of India and Indian Oil Depot
Prior to the conceptualization of
this project the scheme to get water to the Indian Oil depot and
Airport Authority of India was based on transporting drinking
water with the help of water bowers and the solution was not only
uneconomical but unsustainable as well. Groundwater exploration
and development provided new results and both the sites today have
sustainable and economical water solutions based on groundwater
water development.
2004-2005
Planned cost effective augmentation
of water supply scheme (this scheme was 200 years old,) at Kasauli
and Jatogh cantonment, Himachal Pradesh.
Sponsored By: Army Cantonment
Kasauli cantonment was founded by
Britishers in early 19th Centaury. In early days water
was supplied to the cantonment by collecting the spring water in
the water tanks and lifting it by pumps to an elevation of 2000
meters. With passage of time population and water requirement
increased (present civil population approx. 5000) and water
sources depleted. Scheme was augmented in 1965 by transporting
water from river Gamber. This was a very costly venture as it
involved transporting water through large distance through
pumping. As a result the people are being charged at exorbitant
rate of Rs. 25 for 1000 liters of water in comparison to Rs. 2 per
1000 liters by the Irrigation and Public Health Department at
Himachal Government. I undertook the project to explore and
develop groundwater resources in and around Kasauli town and
initial research has shown positive results. Prior to my work
Kasauli and Jatogh were considered to be devoid of significant
groundwater potential. On completion of this project I shall be
able to provide additional sustainable augmented water source on
one hand, and bring down the heavy cost of water imposed on the
consumers besides providing pure drinking water.
For my achievements is successfully
harnessing groundwater in different terrains of Himalayas I have
been invited to present the data and research findings collected
during the above projects in various national and International
conferences in India and abroad.
Recently was invited by Royal
Geographical Society London to deliver a lecture on “Impact of
global warming on the glaciers of Himalayas and its impact on the
groundwater for sustainable development”
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