Lake in Nainital hits 5-year-low sparks water scarcity fears

Nainital, Mar 24 (PTI) The water level of Naini Lake, considered the lifeline of Nainital, has dropped to 4.7 feet, the lowest in five years, causing concern among residents and the authorities.
    Little rain and snowfall in the tourist town this winter have increased the chances of the lake hitting a record low in the summer months of April, May and June.
    Last year, too, the hill station in Uttarakhand faced a similar situation, but the monsoons more than compensated and replenished the lake abundantly, raising its level to 12 feet and prompting the state’s Irrigation Department to drain out excess water at regular intervals.
    However, this year, there has been very little rain and snowfall in the town.
    Nainital received snowfall only twice during the last winter — December 9 and January 12 — which was not enough to replenish the lake, its control room in-charge, Ramesh Gaida, said.
    Now, with the water level continuously depleting and the summer and tourist season yet to begin, the situation has become a cause for concern among the Jal Sansthan, Irrigation Department and the businesses dependent on travellers, he said.
    The water level usually rises above the five feet mark in January and February. However, this year, it has dropped to 4.7 feet, he said.  
    With a steady drop in water levels, the lake may hit zero well before May and June.
    Environmentalist Yashpal Rawat Apart has attributed this situation to deforestation, unregulated construction in the lake's catchment area, and concretisation of the natural recharge zones, in addition to deficit rain and snowfall.
    He also pointed out that the low underground water levels have worsened the situation.
    The cutting of 'Banj' or Himalayan oak trees, known for their water-retention capacity,  for construction is another reason that has led to this situation, he said.
    "In the olden days, all houses were equipped with rainwater harvesting systems or 'patnalas'. This would ensure that excess water was drained into the ground, raising the water table. However, heavy unregulated construction, concrete houses and roads in recent times prevent water from being absorbed into the ground," Rawat said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)