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Springs constitute the primary natural source of water
in Sikkim. Planning, development and management of
springs is the main motive behind the spring shed
development program.
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Springs are drying up and also become seasonal. So, the
Spring Shed Development Program focuses on -
- Increasing the discharge of the spring.
- Increasing the duration of discharge of the
spring.
Spring Shed Development
Water is increasingly becoming a critical ingredient
for sustainable development. In Sikkim, village water
sources (Mohaan, Kuan and Dhara) have been traditionally
playing a vital role in providing water security to nearly
80% of the
Springs-shed development at
Kaluk
rural households. These springs get recha
Objectives
Springs-shed development program (Dhara Vikash)
rged
from the sub-surface flow or from the rain-water that
percolates down.
However over
the years, many of these springs are drying up or becoming
seasonal and the discharge during the lean season is
declining. These have reduced the “sponge action” of the
land and consequently limited rainwater percolates down
creating a hydrological imbalance in some of the watersheds.
It has been estimated that less than 15% of the rainwater is
able to percolate down through deforested slopes to recharge
the springs, while the remaining flows down causing floods.
It has also been forecasted that global warming and climate
change will further adversely impact the spring water
resources
In order to map and document the status of these water
sources the preparation of “Village Spring Atlas” has been
initiated. Information pertaining to each spring like its
location, elevation, catchment status, land ownership,
discharge, households dependent etc is being collected to
prepare the water source atlas of the state. Global
Positioning System (GPS) is being used for field survey so
that the spring maps can be prepared on a GIS platform.
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Springs-shed development at Teendharey source, Duga
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WWF-India and People’s Science Institute, Dehradun are providing
active support to the Rural Management and Development Department to
build the capacity of the manpower. Also development of critical
spring under the banner of “Dhara Vikas (Spring-shed Development)”
under NREGA has also been initiated.
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The scientific principle of the
Dhara Vikas programme is to reduce the speed of the running water through
measures like development of the catchment of the spring, use of soil moisture
conservation works, vegetative and other similar social measures. In layman
term, every drop of rain water needs to be conserved where it falls, the
“running” water needs to be trained to “walk”, and the “walking” water needs to
be trained to “rest” for a while. Soil moisture conservation works will include
digging staggered trenches and pits along contours, gully plugging, bunding of
terraces and making them inward sloping, de-silting of existing, dried up ponds
and lakes. Vegetative measures will include plantation of low water demanding
and shallow-rooted grass/shrubs/trees. Social measures will include ban on
grazing, fuel wood and fodder cutting and social fencing of the recharge area.
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| These measures will help
in ensuring that the surface runoff of rain water in the spring shed
is reduced, and more water percolates down to recharge the spring.
This paradigm shift in water source development works will entail
rejuvenating the spring shed (Mohan ko seer), while not disturbing
the water source and will help in ensuring long term water security
for the villages of Sikkim
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