Chandigarh, Dec 15 (IANS) In a step towards addressing Punjab’s water woes, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said the government gave in-principle approval of a Rs 1.61 crore micro-level study on water resources and seepage patterns.

The study, to be conducted by the Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission in collaboration with IIT Ropar, will help develop effective solutions to manage subsoil water levels.

Highlighting the importance of this initiative, Cheema said that as an agrarian state, Punjab faces serious challenges concerning water availability and its sustainable usage.

He emphasised that this project represents a crucial step towards the revival of the state’s agrarian era.

“The initial macro-level study, conducted by the PSFFWC in collaboration with the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee, was formally acknowledged by the Vidhan Sabha Committee on Agriculture Reforms. Subsequently, the committee decided on a more detailed micro-level study,” he said in a statement.

Elaborating on the scientific depth of the investigation, Finance Minister Cheema said the study would employ advanced techniques, including carbon dating and isotope analysis of sub-soil and repository water, as well as a comprehensive examination of seepage patterns across the state.

The study’s objectives encompass a range of critical aspects, including profiling all types of available water resources, characterising aquifers to inform policy decisions, conducting heliborne surveys, exploring alternative water resources, and conducting micro-level studies to determine seepage rates.

On financial allocation for the study, the Finance Minister said the project would be funded with an outlay of Rs 221.65 lakh.

Of this amount, IIT Ropar will contribute Rs 60 lakh from its own resources, leaving a requirement of Rs 161 lakh for the Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission.

In exchange for the funding, IIT Ropar will provide comprehensive technical support, including design and execution expertise, field investigations, sample collection, deployment of portable instruments, infrastructure and laboratory facilities, and technical training and capacity-building initiatives.

The study comprises five detailed phases, scheduled for completion within 12 months of receiving the required funds.

–IANS

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