The Niti Aayog said in a report today that a web-enabled database, or web portal, should be created to map springs in mountain states to conserve the main source of water for millions of people in the Indian Himalaya Region (IHR).
In its 'Springs in the Himalayas' report, the government think-tank has said the spring water, which provides sustenance to 10 states and four hill districts, needs to be conserved using a software, which will provide "reconciliation of the data" and "identification of problem sites".
It has said there is increasing evidence that springs are drying up or their discharge is reducing throughout the IHR, and, throughout the entire Hindu Kush Himalayan region, stretching from Afghanistan to Myanmar.
"Systematic mapping of springs across the IHR states. As the process of springshed management unfolds in one block in every state, basic inventory of all springs must begin and be completed in the first phase itself. Survey of India, Forest Survey and Revenue Survey maps and satellite imageries will be used to develop digital maps and database with a clear mandate on sound 'ground truth' evidence," it said.
The database, the Aayog said, should include clear information on the discharge of the spring, water quality and dependency on the spring apart from geo-tagged referencing. A historical narrative on spring sustenance or depletion may also be provided.
"Creation of a web-enabled database/web portal on which the springs can be mapped/tagged. All state government departments, research and development institutions and NGOs working on springs and spring-shed management will upload data on the web-portal. The software will provide for reconciliation of the data and identification of problem sites and will enable access by the public," the report recommended as short-term actions to be undertaken within four years.
From the fifth to eighth year - termed 'medium term actions', the Aayog has recommended the mainstreaming and convergence of springshed management with other developmental programmes to facilitate greater synergies with government schemes.
As a long-term initiative, it has said that standardisation of the springshed management process should be more or less established by the end of the eighth year.
"Building local institutions and institutional mechanisms for springshed management would include capacity building of communities to undertake such activities in the long-term and also equipping them to take up operation and maintenance.
"Establishment of a national registry for springs in the form of a Spring Health Card, to periodically evaluate the health of the springs in time and space could become an established practice to ensure sustained flow of information from one side and crucial guidance, facilitation and hand-holding from the other," it recommended.
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