Water accessibility and inequalities in the hill town Kalimpong (W.B)

Abstract

‘Water is life’ and it is a unique natural resource compared to all other sources, available on earth (Nations, no date). Water is the most important and an essential natural resource available to mankind. With ever-growing population, water scarcity has become a threat to the organizational process of urban areas. Due to urbanization and migration, the local bodies are unable to provide the basic amenities and facilities that should be provided by a city’s administration to the increasing urban population. Every land-use decision and practice impact the water footprint and changes in land use can either reduce or increase the quality and quantity of the surface and sub-surface water resources. This study focuses on Kalimpong, a Himalayan city, to investigate the water concerning space, the existing situation regarding the water supply and the cost of being connected to water supply, customer’s capacity to pay for water supplies, water accessibility for the consumers to become get connected, water availability after connection, and the seasonal effects on water availability that result in inequalities. The data collected from the stakeholders was analysed to estimate the problems and issues in the case study area. The demand for water at Kalimpong municipality, is shooting up as the population is increasing. Water resource management is a comprehensive activity that involves planning, development, distribution, and the management of optimum utilization of water resources. It is a sub-set of water cycle management. Ideally, the water resource management planning processes are concerned with all the competing demands for water and seek to the allocate water on an equitable basis to meet the demands of the users. In comparison with rest of the resources’ management, this is rarely possible in practice. The current study provides recommendation and future strategies to be incorporated upon the traditional water sources in the main water supply system. Moreover, spring rejuvenation through rainwater harvesting can add up to water security in this region. So, there is an urgent requirement to look upon in this situation. Maintaining the existing water supply systems and the augmentation of 90 springs so as to divert the water towards the main water supply system for Kalimpong will increase the efficiency of the water supply system, at a low cost. The existing water supply system was led by the British, which needs to be re-evaluated and revamped since it may not be sufficient for to meet the current and the future population demands.