Barmer: Water drainage becomes worry

For parched Barmer, where even a few drops of rain are considered a boon, the deluge of 2007 has become its bane.

The consequent waterlogging and no means to drain out the water has become a major headache for the villagers and district administration.

Although the state government has constituted a task force comprising three engineers to deliberate on the ways to drain out water, opinions vary.

There are proposals to employ 50 to 75 horsepower pumps to drain out the water and also dig a six-feet and five feet wide canal, which will transport the collected water to the nearby Dhaulipali river.

The peculiar geology of the region comprising thick layer of gypsum is posing a major problem. Beneath this gypsum is a layer of Bantonite which is a mineral and limestone which hinders percolation of water.

So drilling the gypsum layer to let the water percolate is not going to help, feel experts.

The other proposal of letting the water flow out of Malwa and Kawas will also not work, as it will flood the adjoining regions and villages, adding to the administration's woes.

Ghyanshyam Dadiach, deputy district collector, Barmer, told UNI, ''There's still 10-12 feet standing water in Malwa and Kawas villages and it will take a month for its evaporation if other means to drain out water are not employed soon.

''Till now the experts have not been able to reach any conclusion on the exact method to drain out water,'' he added.

The flash floods have also inundated many mines in the state including Bantonite, China clay and gypsum mines.