Raghubar Das vows to make New Jharkhand

Source: telegraphindia.com

Chief minister Raghubar Das stressed his commitment to “New Jharkhand” after unfurling the Indian Tricolour at Morabadi grounds here on Thursday, the 73rd Independence Day.

Addressing around 5,000 people, including dignitaries, Das said: “Naya Jharkhand banana hai, yeh mera sankalp hai, yeh meri akansha hai (We have to make a New Jharkhand, that’s my promise and my dream).”

He urged people from all strata — farmers, workers, professionals, youths, craftspersons, mothers and sisters — to work for a happy and prosperous Jharkhand.

Das praised the Centre for removing Article 370 and 35A of the Constitution, and recalled late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s doctrine of Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat (humanity, democracy and Kashmir’s legacy of amity).

But the bulk of his 30-minute speech was centred around the achievements of his government. This is the last Independence Day before Assembly polls later this year.

Das reeled off statistics to highlight how Jharkhand had grown under his governance. He said: “Growth rate in the last three years is 14.2 per cent and rate of increasing per capita income is 9.1 per cent. During the last five years growth in forestry has been 31.2 per cent, fisheries 15.9 per cent, and agriculture 19 per cent.”

He added: “Jharkhand is the first state to give Rs 5,000 per acre as grant to farmers and Rs 3,000 per month as pension to labourers of the unorganised sector. From next month, the government will start a pension for journalists.”

“So far, 2 lakh people have been helped by the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (Ayushman Bharat) in the state under which 57 lakh of 68 lakh families are covered. The government aims to give gold cards to all beneficiaries of this scheme by September 25. This apart, 100 mohalla clinics will be opened by September 25 for the urban poor.”

He spoke about big strides made in higher education, including new medical colleges in Dumka, Palamau and Hazaribagh, women’s colleges in 12 district, model colleges in 13 districts and 27 degree colleges and 13 polytechnic colleges.

Das also inspected the Independence Day parade in which platoons of the CRPF, CISF, Jharkhand Jaguar, JAP, NCC, Jharkhand Home Guard and Raksha Shakti Vishawvidyalaya participated.

Cops felicitated

In Jamshedpur, food minister Saryu Roy, who hoisted the national flag at Gopal Maidan, also felicitated Parsudih OC Animesh Gupta and Azadnagar OC Vishnu Rout for their good work. In Ranchi, SSP Anish Gupta gave a cash award of Rs 15,000 to Chutia OC Ravi Thakur for nabbing three snatchers wanted in 30 cases.

Ranchi Metro a must but where’s the will

Source: telegraphindia.com

The proposed monorail/metro project for Ranchi, which chief minister Raghubar Das had announced in November 2015, has been struck off from the priority list of the government ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Ministers and members of the BJP tasked with the job to highlight the achievements of the government ahead of the crucial polls no longer broach the sensitive topic of “Metro Rail”.

The central government, which was supposed to provide funds for the project, has also rejected the state’s proposal on technical grounds but residents feel that monorail or metro railway is the need of the hour for better public transport in the state capital.

“In the next three decades Ranchi is bound to expand because of the growing population but the government has not taken any step for planned development of the capital. The main city is spread over a few square kilometres but people are gradually settling down in the fringes of the city. In such a situation, metro rail would have served future purposes. Now, the Jharkhand High Court and the Assembly are being shifted outside the city limits and people will require a rapid transport system,” said city-based contractor Arun Kumar Mishra.

Ranchi entrepreneur Chandra Bhushan Jha, however, feels metro is not feasible for a city like Ranchi that is growing vertically.

“Patna will soon have metro railway but we don’t even have proper city bus services. A bus fleet was purchased under JNNURM to improve urban transportation but most of these buses are in bad shape because of lack of maintenance. Metro is indeed required since Ranchi has the worst traffic system but the big question is whether we have enough space within the city to execute the project,” said Jha.

Sidharth Tiwary, a business consultant, however, feels otherwise.

“Three cities of Jharkhand — Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad — have been categorised as tier-II cities. Trade, commerce and industry in Ranchi is expanding. Inter-connectivity of districts should be priority for the government now. Urban development remained pivotal for the government and a number of good works were done by Das but I am surprised why the government did not take up the metro railway project,” said Tiwary.

State urban development minister C.P. Singh, who also holds the additional charge of transport, said the project had been aborted on technical grounds.

“We had submitted a proposal to the Centre but it was rejected on technical grounds. In future I don’t think neither monorail nor metro railway would be taken up for Ranchi. We don’t have sufficient land in the city to start the project. People want facilities but they won’t part with land. Even in executing small projects we face problems and protests. To commission a project the government is forced to use force and then attract criticism. Without public cooperation it is impossible to start a mega project like this,” minister Singh said.

He added that the urban development department had identified government land at Dubalia to set up the Transport Nagar but people had started protesting against the project.

“Like at Bajara, the department had identified government land to execute a housing project for the poor, but we have been facing protests. In fact, the government drags its foot from any project fearing people’s protest,” said Singh.

Ranchi Metro a must but where’s the will

Source: telegraphindia.com

The proposed monorail/metro project for Ranchi, which chief minister Raghubar Das had announced in November 2015, has been struck off from the priority list of the government ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Ministers and members of the BJP tasked with the job to highlight the achievements of the government ahead of the crucial polls no longer broach the sensitive topic of “Metro Rail”.

The central government, which was supposed to provide funds for the project, has also rejected the state’s proposal on technical grounds but residents feel that monorail or metro railway is the need of the hour for better public transport in the state capital.

“In the next three decades Ranchi is bound to expand because of the growing population but the government has not taken any step for planned development of the capital. The main city is spread over a few square kilometres but people are gradually settling down in the fringes of the city. In such a situation, metro rail would have served future purposes. Now, the Jharkhand High Court and the Assembly are being shifted outside the city limits and people will require a rapid transport system,” said city-based contractor Arun Kumar Mishra.

Ranchi entrepreneur Chandra Bhushan Jha, however, feels metro is not feasible for a city like Ranchi that is growing vertically.

“Patna will soon have metro railway but we don’t even have proper city bus services. A bus fleet was purchased under JNNURM to improve urban transportation but most of these buses are in bad shape because of lack of maintenance. Metro is indeed required since Ranchi has the worst traffic system but the big question is whether we have enough space within the city to execute the project,” said Jha.

Sidharth Tiwary, a business consultant, however, feels otherwise.

“Three cities of Jharkhand — Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad — have been categorised as tier-II cities. Trade, commerce and industry in Ranchi is expanding. Inter-connectivity of districts should be priority for the government now. Urban development remained pivotal for the government and a number of good works were done by Das but I am surprised why the government did not take up the metro railway project,” said Tiwary.

State urban development minister C.P. Singh, who also holds the additional charge of transport, said the project had been aborted on technical grounds.

“We had submitted a proposal to the Centre but it was rejected on technical grounds. In future I don’t think neither monorail nor metro railway would be taken up for Ranchi. We don’t have sufficient land in the city to start the project. People want facilities but they won’t part with land. Even in executing small projects we face problems and protests. To commission a project the government is forced to use force and then attract criticism. Without public cooperation it is impossible to start a mega project like this,” minister Singh said.

He added that the urban development department had identified government land at Dubalia to set up the Transport Nagar but people had started protesting against the project.

“Like at Bajara, the department had identified government land to execute a housing project for the poor, but we have been facing protests. In fact, the government drags its foot from any project fearing people’s protest,” said Singh.

Open hospitals in State: CM to investors

Source: dailypioneer.com

Riding on the recent health indicators portraying growth and betterment in the health services in the State, Chief Minister Raghubar Das today appealed to investors to help improve health facilities in Jharkhand by means of opening hospitals, especially in rural areas. The CM said that the government will provide subsidy and all facilities to the investors for the purpose.

Addressing people during the inaugural ceremony of Healthcare Summit Jharkhand-2019 here on Thursday the CM said that if any investor builds a hospital in a rural area, the government will give them 75 per cent subsidy on land value for the purchase, 50 per cent in the block headquarters and 25 per cent in the urban area. The investment (single door) will be through a single channel, he said.

“Jharkhand was ranked third in the NITI Aayog’s State index for incremental growth. It is the result of continuous growth of State in the field of health since 2014. In the year 2000, the maternal mortality rate in Jharkhand was 400 per lakh, which decreased to 165 per lakh, infant mortality rate was 72 per thousand, which decreased to 29 per thousand, institutional deliveries which were only 13.50 per cent which increased to 80 per cent and complete vaccination was 9 per cent which increased to 87 per cent. Jharkhand ranks third in providing OPD service in hospitals across the country. These facts indicate that the State is on the path of reform in the field of health,” said the CM.

Das said that till September 25, 2 crore 85 lakh people of the State will be covered by Golden Card under Ayushman Bharat Yojna. As many as 57 lakh families of Jharkhand will have benefit of this scheme. Golden cards have been made available to 39,13,000 families. A total of 2,26,000 beneficiaries have been taken advantage of the scheme. An amount of Rs 206 crores has been spent for this. To provide maximum benefit of the scheme to the poor, a 300-bed hospital has been arranged in Jamshedpur, where only patients coming under the Ayushman Bharat scheme will be treated. The State has 429 private and 219 government hospitals listed under the scheme. The government will also waive the fee being taken for the golden card in the Pragya Kendras from August 16, 2019, for the poor,” added he.

The CM said on death anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Atal Clinic will be opened in every ward.

Das said that the people of the state are getting 108 ambulance facilities. About 5,000 calls are being received every day. The treatment of 8,000 patients is being ensured by 108 ambulances. This service is more effective in tribal areas. Through CSR also, the government is providing the facility of bike ambulance to the poor in remote areas.

Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi said that the government is working towards providing better health facilities. “We are committed to ensure that people get health care up to their doorstep. On September 25, 57 lakh families will be given a Golden Card. The government has added 32 lakh additional families in Ayushman Bharat Yojna. In the last 10 months, 2 crore 19 lakh patients have been treated under the scheme. The present government has established a medical college to provide healthcare,” he said.

Jharkhand’s new hospital for PM-JAY beneficiaries

Source: telegraphindia.com

Chief minister Raghubar Das inaugurated a new hospital exclusively for beneficiaries of the Centre’s flagship health insurance scheme for the poor on Tuesday, courtesy Tata Steel.

Essentially an extension of Tata Main Hospital in Bistupur, the new premises is in Golmuri within Tinplate township, behind the existing Tinplate Hospital.

“It is a day of happiness with the city getting the country’s first hospital dedicated for the beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat Prasham Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY),” said Das after inaugurating the 30-bed Tata Steel managed hospital offering 24×7 orthopaedic, general surgery, paediatric and critical care facilities.

“We plan to cover 85 per cent of the state’s population under the ambitious health insurance scheme, benefiting 57 lakh families. As of now, we have issued 25 lakh golden cards which enables one to avail benefits under the scheme,” the chief minister said, adding that the state government would henceforth issue free golden cards and not charge Rs 30 as was the norm.

Das said the state government would launch a special drive across the state to issue free golden cards from August 16 to September 23 to mark the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

So far, he added, 219 government hospitals and 429 private hospitals had been empanelled under the health insurance scheme. “More than 2 lakh patients have benefited from the scheme in Jharkhand,” the chief minister said.

Das said talks were on with Tata Motors to empanel Tata Motors Hospital under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

“I have had several meetings with the Tata Steel management. I am thankful they have decided to dedicate a hospital entirely for the scheme. Soon Tata Motors Hospital in Telco township will also be empanelled under the scheme,” he said.

The chief minister went on to highlight some of the initiatives of the state government in health. “We have already launched 329 ambulances that can be called for by dialling 108. We have also started bike ambulances for inaccessible areas in hilly terrains where conventional ambulances cannot reach,” he said.

Das also announced mohalla clinics for those residing in urban slums. “Free primary health care will be provided at mohalla clinics. A special drive will be undertaken between August 16 and September 23 when doctors will be available for two hours each in the morning and evening at all civic bodies,” he said.

Community halls in Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee, Mango Notified Area Committee and Jugsalai municipality would be used to run mohalla clinics.

The chief minister said that efforts were on to revive the Baharagora trauma centre that could be of immense help to commuters using NH-33 and NH-6 in case of accidents.

“Doctors will be recruited soon for the Baharagora trauma centre. Recruitments will also be done at the district level,” he said.

Earlier, the chief minister presented a cheque of Rs 1 crore to Kamal Club representatives of districts to organise sports events at the panchayat level. He also distributed golden cards to patients who were admitted to TMH-Golmuri on Tuesday. Two doctors who joined the district were also given appointment letters.

Among the others who were present at the function were MLAs Kunal Sarangi (Baharagora), Meneka Sardar (Potka), Lakshman Tuddu (Ghatshila) and Tata Steel vice-president corporate services Chanakya Choudhary.

The chief minister left for Ranchi at around 12.50 pm.

No ease of business for this Jharkhand entrepreneur

Source: telegraphindia.com

A soft coke unit, whose foundation stone was laid by none other than chief minister Raghubar Das in December 2017 as a showpiece project borne out of the state’s first Global Investors’ Summit earlier in the year, is yet to have a power connection.

BL Soft Coke Industry, set up by Sastrinangar industrialist B.L. Agarwal at Kalyanpur, about 13km from here, by investing around Rs 65 lakh, has been running on power from diesel generator sets, leading to higher costs that has adversely impacted the SME’s bottomline.

Worst, a scrubber installed as per Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board guidelines to control emissions, hasn’t been functioning properly for want of a regular power connection.

“We had high hopes when we went to Bokaro in December 2017 during the state’s third ground breaking ceremony. Foundation stones were laid online of as many as 105 units with chief minister Raghubar Das presiding over the function amidst much fanfare. But till now, one of our basic requirements hasn’t been fulfilled,” said B.L Agarwal’s son, Gaurav, who runs the unit on behalf of his father.

Gaurav said they had approached officials of Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam (JBVNL) in Dhanbad more than 30 times ever since they had applied for an electricity connection on September 6, 2017. “But, we are yet to get a power connection. We are facing a lot of difficulties,” he said.

A year ago, Gaurav received a call from an official in the state government’s single window cell that is supposed to streamline permissions and clearances that entrepreneurs may require.

“I was asked if I was facing any difficulty. I told them about the delay in getting an electricity connection. But the issue is yet to be resolved,” he said.

Soft coke is a byproduct of coal with lesser ash content and moisture. BL Soft Coke Industry produces around 400 tonnes of soft coke per month for which it requires 30-40 litres of diesel to run generators and other factory equipment.

JBVNL junior engineer Chandan Kumar promised to resolve the issue in a day or two. “We have already completed all formalities for awarding a connection to BL Soft Coke Industry. There was an error in the company’s application form. Instead of applying for a 10HP (horse power) connection the factory applied for a 2KVA connection,” he said.

Gaurav admitted the error, but reasoned that it could not be the reason for such an inordinate delay. “The power connection could always have been given and the issue of load sorted out later. I can’t understand the reason for the delay when there is electricity in all the villages near my factory,” he said.

Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association general secretary Rajiv Sharma said the experience of BL Soft Coke shows how red tape is killing entrepreneurship. “JBVNL is earning a bad name for itself and for Jharkhand. The state government is framing policies for the convenience of businessmen with good intentions, but the benefit of the policies are not reaching the targeted people,” he rued.

Abki baar 65 paar: Jharkhand CM on forthcoming assembly elections

Source: indiatoday.in

Raghubar Das, who is on the verge of becoming the first chief minister to complete a five-year term in once politically-volatile Jharkhand, has set the BJP’s target for the assembly polls due later this year – “Abki baar 65 paar”.

In the 2014 assembly elections, the BJP had won 42 of the 81 seats. The BJP and its allies clinched 12 of the 14 seats in this year’s Lok Sabha elections.

“Abki baar painsath (65) paar (This time we will cross 65 seats). There is not an iota of doubt in people giving an absolute mandate to us. We will win by a thumping majority as the message of development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narenda Modi has percolated down to the masses,” Jharkhand Chief Minister Das told PTI in an interview.

“Due to the solid foundation of development works, a BJP worker remains ever ready for elections. Whether in Jharkhand or other parts in the country, people have seen and accepted the politics of development under Prime Minister Modi,” he said.

Claiming that the opposition ‘mahagathbandhan’ will come a cropper in the ensuing polls, Das said people of the state including the exploited, the downtrodden, the poor and the Dalits have seen development work and have “outrightly rejected the ‘power-hungry’ coalition formed with selfish ulterior motives”.

The ‘mahagathbandhan’ managed to bag just two Lok Sabha seats this year — JMM and Congress bagging one seat each — while the rest of the alliance Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) failed to win any.

“Jharkhand citizens have shown the mirror to ‘mahagathbandhan’ in the Lok Sabha elections. They were stumped by NDA’s politics of development. This time too they will be given a befitting reply,” Das said.

He is set to become the first ever chief minister of Jharkhand to complete a full-term after its bifurcation from Bihar on November 15, 2000.

“I have complete faith that the double engine government (at the Centre and state) has taken people to the path of development. Now development is reaching to villagers in far-flung areas. Basic necessities like electricity and water have reached inaccessible areas. Youths are getting employment,” he claimed.

Each sector whether infrastructure, agriculture, women empowerment or skill development among the youth, is progressing fast, he said.

Elaborating on the welfare schemes, Das said his government has launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Sukanya Yojna’ under which girls from 26 lakh poor families will be benefited.

He said girls belonging to families whose annual income is up to Rs 72,000 will benefit from the scheme six times since birth till they attain the age of 18.

Likewise he said, there are several schemes benefiting hundreds of the poor in the state, adding his government has coined a slogan for girls: “Pehle padhai, fir vidai” (Education first, marriage later).

“For the welfare of farmers, we have started ‘Mukhyamantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana’ where farmers with an acre of land will get Rs 5,000 and farmers having five acres will get Rs 25,000.

“There would be 35 lakh beneficiaries and the scheme will entail and expenditure of Rs 3,000 crore,” he said.

Long road to zero power-cut dream in Jharkhand

Source: telegraphindia.com

Chief minister Raghubar Das’s zero power-cut dream by July 31 looks likely to come to nought.

Das during a review meeting on July 5 had asked Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam (JBVNL) to ensure regular power supply across the state by July 31, which looks unlikely, given the slow pace of underground cabling work.

A reliable JVBNL source said only 400km had been covered so far against the targeted 1,000km for laying 33KV wires underground. In the case of laying 11KV wires, the situation is more dismal. Again, only 400km had been covered while the target is 5,000KV.

“Underground cabling under R-APDRP (restructured accelerated power development and report programme) which is being done in 30

cities including Ranchi, Bundu, Khunti and 27 others, is a must for zero power cuts, but work is slow on the ground and the onset of monsoon, like it or not, is hampering the speed,” the JVBNL source said.

General manager of JVBNL Sanjay Kumar said they were making every effort to quickly lay cables.

“After summer, power supply automatically becomes normal as load reduces. During summer, we get lower voltage power from the grid, now we are getting proper voltage. When power is supplied at proper voltage, heating of wires reduces and so does disconnection of power, unlike in summer,” GM Kumar said. Asked why power cuts are a daily occurrence in monsoon, GM Kumar blamed branches falling on overhead wires.

“During rainy season many time tree falls on the wire and thus power get disrupted. Though we cut branches leaning on wire, sometimes it happens,” GM Kumar said.

Asked whether it was possible to fulfil the chief minister’s dream of zero power cuts, GM Kumar said: “Zero power cut is an ideal situation. We can talk about power supply for more than 23 hours but as far as zero power cut is concerned it is not easy.”

Energy secretary Vandana Dadel, when contacted for her comments, said “work was being done as per the CM’s guidelines” but did not elaborate.

At a high-powered meeting attended by additional chief secretary Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, principal secretary to CM Sunil Kumar Barnwal, energy secretary Vandana Dadel, chief conservator of forests Sanjay Kumar, JBVNL Rahul Purwar and DCs of districts where transmission projects are on, CM Das on July 5 had expressed grave concerns about Jharkhand’s existing power scenario, including irregular power supply, undeclared power cuts and delays in completion of power transmission projects. He had asked officials to complete pending transmission projects fast.

“We have accepted the challenge and given power connection to all houses but are facing problem in supplying power 24/7. Now it is one of our top priorities,” Das had said, asking officials not to “get stuck in files” and dispose forest clearances for transmission projects.

He had asked officials not to cut power without prior information and rectify technical problems without delay.

Won’t Tolerate Mob Lynching or Any Crime: Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das

Source: thewire.in

Ranchi: Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das has asserted that there will be no discrimination based on caste or religion while dealing with those involved in mob lynching or other crimes and anarchy won’t be tolerated.

Talking about the recent lynching of Muslim youth, accused of stealing a motorcycle in Saraikela Kharsawan district, he said, “My government strongly condemns this incident. Our commitment is to punish criminals… Jharkhand is the only state in the country where such cases are taken up on a fast-track basis with quick punishment to the guilty.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last month said in Rajya Sabha that this lynching incident pained him and the guilty should get the severest punishment. He, however, said that for this incident, the entire state should not be pronounced guilty and everyone put in the dock.

Tabrez Ansari was beaten up by a mob, and a video showed that he was purportedly made to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Jai Hanuman’. He later died.

Das urged people to refrain from taking law in their hands and expressed his government’s commitment to “punish the criminals” irrespective of caste or the religion.

He also lashed out at the opposition for “giving a communal colour” to stray incidents and said things should not be blown out of proportion and “the government or any particular political party should not be blamed for such incidents”.

“It is a matter of great sadness that the opposition starts playing politics on such issues”, he said.

“Be it this kind of crime or any crime, my government will not tolerate any anarchy… There will be no discrimination in punishing criminals… the colour of blood is the same. Our motto is to ensure communal harmony, peace and brotherhood,” Das told PTI in an interview.

He said his government has constituted a special investigation team to probe the incident and eleven people have been arrested, and two police officers suspended.

According to him, there had been lynching cases during Congress regime too, but this is the first time that action against the guilty is being taken through fast-track courts in Jharkhand.

Das said that Jharkhand has followed Supreme Court guidelines fully in this regard.

The apex court had in 2018 said that “horrendous acts of mobocracy” cannot be allowed to overrun the law of the land and issued a slew of guidelines to deal with mob lynching and cow vigilantism, besides asking the centre to consider enacting a new law to deal with such cases sternly.

It had asked the state governments to designate a senior police officer, not below the rank of superintendent of police, as nodal officer in each district to take steps to prevent incidents of mob violence and lynching.

Modi, in his speech, had objected to some people calling Jharkhand a hub of lynching.

“Is this fair? Why are they insulting a state? None of us have the right to insult the state of Jharkhand,” he had said and referred to violence in states ruled by opposition parties.

“All kinds of violence, whether in Jharkhand or West Bengal or Kerala, should be treated as same and law, should take its course,” he had said.

On June 24, leader of the opposition in the upper house Ghulam Nabi Azad had said that Jharkhand has become a lynching factory where Muslims and Dalits were lynched and attacked every week.

Last year, a fast track court in Jharkhand had convicted eleven people for lynching a meat trader in June 2017 over the suspicion that he was carrying beef in his car.

Water conservation in ‘dry’ Ranchi planned

Source: dailypioneer.com

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Raghubar Das stressed on water conservation, the State Government has prepared strategy on water conservation and re-charging depleting ground water table. The State Government from July 7 to September 15 is to launch a concerted save water drive across the State. The campaign though is Government initiatives, but ruling BJP too has jumped in the exercise.

The save water campaign from July 7 to September 15 is to witness voluntary participation of ruling party MPs, MLAs, ministers, besides CM Das himself participating at the campaign. BJP chief whip and MLA, Radha Krishna Kishore said, “From July 7 to 15, all MLAs, ministers, MPs will volunteer their participation in water conservation. Water conservation is need of the hour.”

The Ranchi district administration moving a step ahead too has decided to dole out cash incentives to panchayats taking a lead in water conservation.

Ranchi Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rai Mahimapat Ray on Tuesday held a meeting on water conservation and announced cash incentives for panchayats selected for mini watershed planning. Best performing panchayats will get cash incentives ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Ray said, “On July 7, the district administration will launch the drive on which there will be plantations drive and Shram Daan (volunteer participation) by people. The Chief Minister will himself participate at the function in Kanke.” The State Government and Ranchi District Administration stressing on water conservation is due to depleting ground water table, which has become a cause of concern not only for administration but also for residents of the city.

According to city-based Geologist/Environmental Scientist Dr Nitish Priyadarshi ground water table in State Capital in last 15 years has gone down by 3 metre to 25 metres, with areas such Kanke, Ratu Road, Morhabadi, Harmu largely affected due to ground water depletion.

Priyadrashi said, “The main reason for depleting ground water is lack of water management, which includes over exploitation of ground water and shrinking water bodies. In last few years lots of deep boring has been done. These deep borings in the State Capital has forced the water table to move down, as well as Ranchi plateau consists of metamorphic rocks which are relatively impermeable and hence serve as poor aquifers.”

The over exploitation of water table can be gauged from the fact in localities such as Upper Bazar, Harmu area, Kishore Ganj are facing severe water crisis with borings too becoming failure. Atul Choudhary, a resident of Upper Bazar said, “In our house there are two borings but both of them have failed. We are left with no other alternative but to depend upon water supplied through water tankers by civic bodies which too are irregular.”

Apart from uncontrolled deep borings, the other reasons behind depleting ground water are shrinking surface water in State Capital. Ranchi city that used to have more than 52 to 55 ponds and smaller water bodies during Independence, but now only a dozen odd water bodies exist. Even rivers flowing beside the State Capital are crying for existence. Due to growth of City, these large ponds, rivers and water bodies are encroached by construction companies. “Shrinking natural water bodies have lowered groundwater level and as a result people suffer during summer,” said Nitish Priyadarshi.

In 1946, JB Auden, a British geologist who visited Ranchi to explore for underground aquifers, found that ground water level in Ranchi was not reliable due to the presence of Archaean rocks–the oldest rock formations. To meet the increasing demand for surface water, three dams–the Dhurwa Dam in 1962, Kanke Dam in 1954 and Getalsud Dam in 1971– were built in and around the city to cater to a population, but the depressing fact is that neither administration nor citizens have taken effort to protect these water bodies. Priyadarshi claimed that administration and citizen should take some measures such as putting a ban on construction at recharge area or catchment areas, construction of artificial water reservoirs, regular cleaning of ponds, lakes and rivulets and dams.