The Hindu 17.11.2009
Himachal keen on learning water recycling from Israel
Kanwar Yogendra
| Delegation led by Dhumal to attend three-day conference |
The conference will examine the need for more efficient water consumption
‘More than 70 per cent of sweet potable water in Himachal is used for irrigation’
SHIMLA: A high-level delegation from Himachal Pradesh led by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal headed for Israel on Monday for a three-day conference on water technologies and environment.
Organised by WATEC-Israel, the conference will examine the need for more efficient water consumption, limiting environmental pollution and increasing the use of alternative sources of energy, said State Agriculture Principal Secretary Ram Subhag Singh, who is also part of the delegation.
He said the Chief Minister would also be presenting papers on various environmental studies and innovative developments taking place in the hill State over the past few years. Himachal Pradesh is planning some joint ventures in water conservation with Israel, which has recently been named the “Silicon Valley of water technology” and a “clean-tech incubator to the world”.
Having some of the largest river osmosis projects, Israel is known as the State resorting to maximum recycling of waste water.
Mr. Singh said that with a constant deficiency of water, Himachal has much to learn from Israel which is already recycling 75 per cent of its water.
In Himachal, however, with no differentiation in water categories, more than 70 per cent of sweet potable water is used for irrigation. The chlorinated water is used for non-drinking purposes here and a negligible percentage is saved for recycling, he said.
The Agriculture Secretary also announced that due to drought-like conditions in Himachal, the Government would be giving a 50 per cent subsidy on all seeds including wheat, pulses, vegetables and oil seeds.
The State has a just 2 per cent growth rate in agriculture, which is much below the national average. But there is a growth of 6 to 7 per cent in vegetable production and 30,000 hectares of farm land is now being diverted to vegetable production than cultivating traditional staple crops of wheat and maize, said Mr. Singh.
Poly houses
For a better yield, the State Government is going to install poly houses in a big way. The well-off farmers are happily opting for them while making good use of the subsidies offered.
“It is going to have a ripple effect and we are encouraging the small and marginal peasants also to opt for these, ” Mr. Singh added.
