As
winter descends on Gangtok, an unsettling specter appears over its residents: a
looming shortage of drinking water. The Public Health Engineering (PHE)
Department’s data from last winter paints a worrying picture. With the Rateychu
source—a lifeline for Gangtok’s water supply—experiencing a significant decline
in discharge capacity, the city’s water crisis is no longer a seasonal anomaly
but a glaring symptom of deeper systemic and environmental issues.
The
numbers are stark. The Selep Tanki water treatment plant, with a capacity of 42
million liters per day (MLD), managed to receive only 28 MLD from Rateychu last
winter, down from 34 MLD the previous year. With Gangtok’s daily requirement
pegged at 30 MLD, the shortfall is impossible to ignore. The PHE department’s
temporary solution of tapping local sources may have staved off disaster, but
this patchwork approach is clearly unsustainable in the face of declining
natural water resources.
The
sharp reduction in Rateychu’s water discharge capacity reflects an alarming
trend tied to climate change, deforestation, and unchecked urbanization. Warmer
winters, irregular precipitation, and shrinking glaciers are increasingly
affecting Himalayan water sources, including Rateychu. Despite this reality,
Gangtok has yet to see decisive, long-term solutions. The reliance on makeshift
measures only postpones a reckoning with a crisis that will intensify unless
tackled comprehensively.
The
PHE department’s initiative to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for an
alternative water supply system is a step in the right direction. However, the
estimated ?200 crore project remains in the “active consideration” stage—a
phrase that underscores the sluggish pace of infrastructure development in
India. Gangtok cannot afford further delays. For a city already grappling with
rapid urbanization and an increasing population, a robust, future-ready water
management system is not a luxury but a necessity.
While
infrastructure upgrades are critical, they alone cannot address the root causes
of Gangtok’s water woes. The administration must prioritize watershed
management, reforestation, and conservation of catchment areas. Simultaneously,
public awareness campaigns to promote water conservation practices among
citizens are essential. Gangtok’s residents must recognize that every drop
counts, particularly during the lean winter months.
This
crisis is a clarion call for proactive governance and community participation.
Policymakers must accelerate the implementation of alternative water supply
projects while ensuring sustainable management of existing resources. Without
urgent and coordinated action, Gangtok risks facing a dire future where water
scarcity becomes a year-round crisis.
The
winter of 2024 is a reminder that the taps running dry are not merely an
inconvenience—they are a warning. Gangtok must act decisively to secure its
most vital resource, for without water, there can be no future.
