People’s Science Institute (PSI) and Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Nagaland together hosted an online experience sharing stakeholders’ consultation workshop on Springshed Management for the state of Nagaland on 25thMay 2021.
PSI Anita Sharma chairing the online workshop said that the main objective of the online workshop was to emphasize the experiences and challenges faced by various departments and agencies working on the watershed management in Nagaland and to formulate strategy to address the challenges and taking the Springshed program in a mission mode at the state level in collaboration with various stake holders.
Awi Tsuhah, NIEDA sharing her experience on ‘the impact and challenges from 100 rural villages program on spring’ revival’ said that ground water in the form of springs is the lifeline for drinking water security and livelihood in the Himalayan region including Nagaland.
She also that the rejuvenation and sustainability of spring management is extremely critical as it supports the eco system, landscape and the ecological function providing not just water but livelihood security to the people and also conserve biodiversity.
Also highlighting on the achievements, she said that the spring treatment intervention program has been implemented in 104 villages and 303 springs inventorized in 100 villages across the State till date. She also stated that through community mobilization, social, hydro geological and engineering survey was completed in 100 villages and spring rejuvenation in 94 villages covering 104 springs were also implemented.
She further stated such program has greatly strengthened the local institutions mainly on water governance in a sustainable and equitable way. She also highlighted the various challenges such as technical knowhow, land conflict etc faced by the department in the initial stages of implementing the programs in the State.
Springs are the main source of water for millions of people as both rural and urban communities depend on springs for drinking, domestic, livestock, and agricultural water needs. Springs themselves can be considered as ecosystems contributing to a range of provisional, supporting cultural and regulating services.
There is increasing evidence that springs are drying up as report suggest that more than three million perennial springs in the IHR States have either already dried up or become seasonal, resulting in acute water shortages across thousands of Himalayan villages. To address the above concerns, NITI Aayog has identified springshed management as a key thrust area of intervention for the region.
People’s Science Institute, Dehradun (PSI) since its establishment in 1988, has its pioneering work in the fields of community-led watershed management, environmental quality monitoring, fluorosis mitigation, disaster-safe housing, the system of crop intensification, springs regeneration, participatory groundwater management, and river conservation. The Institute in the last decade has contributed to state-level programs on Springshed management in the states of Sikkim, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. In 2016, the Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Govt. of Nagaland, and PSI piloted a state-level ‘Participatory Springshed Development Program’ for 11 districts of Nagaland considering one spring in each of the districts. PSI as a supporting agency is giving capacity-building trainings to the state and district teams and catalyzes actions on the ground. With the success of the program, another state-level program ‘Multi-Stakeholder Participatory Springshed Management Initiatives’ was initiated in Nagaland for 100 rural villages aiming revival of 100 springs, in 2018. Several government departments and civil society organizations have worked collectively on springs under this multi-faceted convergence program.
PowerPoint presentations were also presented by DoLR Government of Nagaland on evolution and experience of Springshed management in Nagaland a stake holders approach, Geo- hydrology based participatory Springshed management in Nagaland under NHMS by Vargish Bamola PSI and COS Experiences on Springshed management in Nagaland.
PowerPoint presentationon ongoing research on Springshed management were presented by Dr. Nesatalu Hiese, scientist, Dr. Amrit Puzari, Dean NIT Nagaland, Bhargabnanda Dass & Dr. Sumit Sen roorkee and Dr Anil Gautam PSI Dehradun.
Key note address was delivered by Secretary, RD Nagaland and PSI’s film on Springshed management in IHR was also shown. Eminent speakers and officials from RD, Land Resources, NABARD, National Science and Technology Council Kohima, NIT Nagaland etc. participated in the online workshop.
(Esuihangle, IA)
