Cape Town – The drought that has gripped the Western Cape and other provinces has officially been declared a national disaster.
"Today we are announcing the declaration of the drought as a national state of disaster," the task team said.
"The drought in South Africa is, in some provinces, showing no signs of abatement.
"Three provinces which are extremely affected – Western Cape, some parts of the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces are not yet showing comforting signs of improvement.
It was crucial to "adopt integrated planning and coordinated implementation to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall drought response effort", the task team said, and in this regard, the National Joint Drought Coordinating Committee (NJDCC), convened by the National Disaster Management Centre was established to "provide the technical platform for cooperative governance by providing a forum for coordination and management of the drought by a wide range of stakeholders".
The National Joint Drought Coordination Committee (NJDCC) will meet monthly and continue coordinating integrated multi-sectoral intervention measures to address the drought situation in the affected provinces.
The development of an integrated water conservation model will be pursued through multi-sectoral engagements under the suspices of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team on Drought and Water Scarcity.
National and provincial government will continue to work with municipalities to respond effectively to the water crisis.
We will continue with the implementation of the “War on Leaks” programme where communities report all the water leaks.
The task team reiterated that South Africa is a water scarce country and that the effects of climate change should not be overlooked.

Crisis in Nedumangadu despite good SW monsoon.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Several areas at Nedumangadu has already started experiencing water scarcity despite a sumptuous South-West monsoon last year.
“Wells at the panchayats of Peringammala, Vithura, Panavoor, Pullampara, Vembayam, Kallara and Vamanapu-ram have started to dry up.
The intensity of rains has nothing to do with water levels in our hilly areas as all of it runs down faster into Arabian sea.
New water projects in areas like Tholikkodu, Aanad, Pullampara areas at least two years from completion.
Vamanapuram River, the primary water drinking water source has dried up early and pumping for small drinking water projects could not happen.
“Last year, by January second week we had run out of the water.
This year, was no different.
The Kallar has started to dry up already,” said Rohit N a resident of Tholikkodu.
The officials, as planned during last summer were planning to use portable plants filter to utilise water from abandoned granite quarries for drinking purpose.

The MET department has already predicted a severe summer and the water stored in 91 reservoirs around the country is only at 34% of the total live storage, a 7% drop when compared to levels last year Most Indian states are staring at a water crisis this summer.
With the heat setting in earlier than expected, reports of water scarcity have started coming in from across North, Central and parts of south India.
Last year, the live storage available in these reservoirs for the corresponding period was 61.208 BCM.
Most river basins have witnessed a reduction in water, mostly due to deficient winter rainfall.
In January and February, 22 states, including Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, faced largely deficient rainfall, while 10 states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, got deficient rainfall.
The only basins which show a marginal increase from last year are Krishna and Cauvery river basins and west-flowing rivers of the south “North India consisting of seven subdivisions (East and UP, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir) receives about 17% of its annual rainfall during the winter season (January to March).
The water storage in the two biggest reservoirs shared by these states—Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar—were at 19 and 8% respectively, which is less than the average storage on this day over the last ten years of 30% and 19% respectively.
The current live storage capacity of these figures also compare poorly with average live storage across the country of 34% this year, 37% last year and 38% average of last ten years,” elaborated Himanshu Thakkar of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People.
With temperatures hitting an all-time high, parched conditions are expected.
The northeast monsoon, which helps to increase the storage level in reservoirs in the state, had left seven districts with deficient rainfall last year.

Nileswaram: As summer intensifies, water scarcity is becoming more acute by the day, but two major water supply projects planned for Kasaragod district are still on paper.
Both projects would draw water from the Karyamcode river.
While one project would benefit Nileswaram and Kanjangad municipalities and Kinalur-Karinthalam panchayat, the other would solve the drinking water issues of Kayyur-Cheemeni, Cheruvathur, Pilicode, Valiyaparamba, Padanna and Thrikaripur panchayats.
The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has already prepared the project report for the latter.
It was also made part of the budget proposals following the intervention of M Rajagopalan MLA.
However, no follow-up has taken place owing to the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities.
Measures to prepare the project report for supplying adequate drinking water to Nileswaram and Kanjangad municipalities and Kinalur-Karinthalam panchayat, where the water shortage is more severe, are yet to be taken up.
In addition to these projects, if the Palayi shutter-cum-bridge is built, almost the entire district would be spared of water shortage.
At present, some areas in Neeleswaram and Kanjangad municipalities and the coastal panchayats depend solely on saline water.
People in these areas have been demanding safe drinking water supply for years.

With summers approaching, the problem will continue.” The main source of water supply in Mohali is the Kajauli waterworks, from where 10 MGD (millions of gallons per day) of water is supplied to the town.
The total supply still remains deficient for the city’s demand by at least 4-5 MGD.
Another concern for residents of Sectors 66 to 69, 76 to 80, Aero City and Eco City, who receive water supply from the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), is the high tariff.
The tariff was hiked in September last year from Rs 1.8 per kilo litre to up to Rs 10 per kilo litre.
We are paying more money for less water.” However, officials claimed that the water deficiency was temporary and due to repair works on Kajauli waterworks.
Since we lack proper storage facility, supply was affected in Sector 71, Phase IX, Phase X and Phase XI.” Harpreet Singh, SDO, Municipal Corporation, said: “The supply was affected due to continuing repair works.
Otherwise, there is no deficiency or scarcity of water in Mohali.” A senior MC official claimed that the authorities currently were supplying more water than the average demand.
Repair works on Kajauli pipe line is a short-run problem.
Fact file The main source of water supply in Mohali is the Kajauli waterworks, from where 10 MGD (millions of gallons per day) of water is supplied to the town.
The total supply still remains deficient for the city’s demand by at least 4-5 MGD.

ROURKELA: While the hot long days of summer are approaching fast, around 80,000 population in several Wards of Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) are yet to have piped water supply.
Incidentally, the Public Health Engineering Organisation (PHEO) aims to fully cover RMC limits under piped water supply by mid of 2020.
RMC sources informed that of the total 3.20 lakh population within RMC limits, about 80,000 people are deprived of piped water supply.
Only 20 Wards have piped water supply.
If the ongoing projects are completed in time, it would bring relief to the population which depends on tube wells, open wells and tankers for drinking purpose and ponds for other needs.
PHEO sources informed that multiple AMRUT projects worth about Rs 76.25 crore have been taken up.
AMRUT projects include rehabilitation of damaged pipeline at Nala Road, laying of Rising Main Line from Panposh to Tisco Colony via Hanuman Vatika, water testing laboratory at Panposh, water treatment plant at Jhirpani and laying of distribution lines at Nayabazar to Madhusudanpali via Timber Colony and Nabakrushnanagar.
Executive Engineer of PHEO A Patel said work on the mega UIDSSMT project worth Rs 89 crore for strengthening of distribution infrastructure to uncovered areas would start in April.
Recently, work order has been issued for the AMRUT project worth Rs 36 crore for setting up treatment plant and distribution networks in Jhartarang panchayat along with DAV Chowk area to Koel Nagar.
The PHEO also has plans to cover some slums of the captive township of Rourkela Steel Plant with piped water supply at a cost of Rs 14 crore.

Speaking to News Today, Govindarajan said, “The tank is under the maintenance of the Public Works Department.
It was satisfying agricultural needs for the past 30 years.” “However, all that is now a thing of the past, after the Municipality started dumping waste on its Southern side.
This led to a fall in the catchments during the rainy seasons”, he pointed out.
Residents of Radha Nagar are hence facing a acute water scarcity for the past few years,” he said.
The case is still at court.
Apart from it, Rs 15 crore was sanctioned for this PWD tank and Keelkattalai tank for carrying out improvement works.
“In the absence of agricultural activities, the tank can be used to conserve rainwater for drinking and other purposes.
It can be developed as a hangout spot too, to attract more visitors and generate additional revenue,” he suggested.
Once this is done, the process of removing them will be initiated”.
This news report is based on the inputs of Govindarajan P R, a resident of Chrompet.

Jowhar hospital is currently treating 38 people, mostly children, for diarrhoea.
The director of the Intersos-run hospital, Abdirahman Ali Abdirahman, told Radio Ergo that people in the district were drinking contaminated water from holes dug in the dry river bed.
The water scarcity had lowered standards of hygiene and sanitation, leaving households unable to wash regularly or to clean cooking utensils.
He also requested health agencies and the Hirshabelle regional state administration to work together to give people access to safe drinking water as well as toilet facilities to curb the spread of disease.
The villages where the disease is spreading include Tugaarey, Gololey, Madah-gisi, Labo-waab, Raqayle, El-adde, Jamaac’o iyo Ali-waraabey in Jowhar district.
He said they were receiving free treatment and were recovering.
Alasow said both adult siblings had fallen sick one night while they were out hunting antelopes.
This is a new economic activity for local farmers, who lost all their crops in consecutive failed rainy seasons.
He said that seven people had died of diarrhoea in El-adde.
Faay Haji Ali told Radio Ergo by phone that her husband died of diarrhoea three days ago in Tugaarey village, seven km outside Jowhar.

Srinagar Residents of Sursona village of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Thursday staged a protest demonstration against the water scarcity in the area.
Scores of the protestors assembled near Islamabad’s Bejbehra railway station and blocked the Srinagar Banihal train service for hours.
“We all are facing the immense hardships due to the unhygienic water from past 3 months, adding that the residents are forced to drink the unhygienic water of streams,” said Mushtaq Ahmed, a resident of Sursona village.
The residents lamented that lack of potable water causes poor hygiene besides many other problems.
They appealed the concerned authorities to look into the matter.
“We will be forced to stage a protest if the concerned authorities fail to restore drinking water supply to the area at the earliest,” said another protestor.
The residents further said that the area is mainly dependent on the water supply.
They alleged that matter has been brought to the notice of the concerned administration but no improvement has been witnessed.
When contacted chief Executive Engineer, PHE Department Bijbehara he said due to the excessive rate of iron found in the water tank, the authorities had partially stopped the water supply for the said village, adding that “I assure to bring the matter into the notice of higher authorities and hopefully the problem will be sorted out soon.”

Cape Town – #SaveWater Ambassadors have called for increased saving of water following an announcement that there is unlikely to be “Day Zero” this year.
“If anything, we have to increase the saving of water and focus on bringing down usage even further,” said Chief #SaveWater Ambassador, Yusuf Abramjee.
Ahead of World Water Day on Thursday, 22 March, a number of events are being planned by the Department of Water and Sanitation, Operation SA, Miss Earth SA and partners like the Cape Argus.
We continue to advocate to #SaveWater and remember that we are a water stressed country and #EveryDropCounts.
South Africans must learn to save this vital resource to ensure that other parts of the country don’t have to deal with a ‘Day Zero’ situation in future.
Yes, saving water is now a reality that we and our children have to work towards as we work together to create a #WaterSmartNation.
Every South African has to change their mindset now so that over time, apart from just saving water, we can build up sustainable alternatives to deal with global water challenges.” #SaveWater Ambassador, Lance Witten, who is also the live editor at the Cape Argus said: “Even though Cape Town’s residents have done exceptionally well to avert a real humanitarian crisis by saving water and drastically reducing their water consumption, the fact that we may have staved off a ‘Day Zero’ scenario cannot lull us into a false sense of security.
He said the call to #SaveWater will continue.
Michelle Bagley from the Amy Foundation also appealed to South Africans to continue water saving efforts.
Abramjee called on municipalities across the country to introduce #SaveWater campaigns.