Springs that have for centuries met the domestic needs of people in the Himalayan region are now disappearing, leaving them without a dependable natural source of water. Known to be perennial, the springs provide cool, clean and sweet water that gurgles out of mountainsides. From the cold deserts of Lahaul-Spiti to the moist landscape of the northeast, springs have been intrinsic to local cultures. They have been intrinsic to the way of life of mountain communities.
NITI Aayog’s Working Group on ‘Inventory and Revival of Springs in the Himalayas for Water Security’ expresses serious concern over the depletion of Himalayan springs, vital for the region’s water security. According to this report, approximately 50 percent of perennial springs in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) have either dried up or have reduced discharge, affecting thousands of villages dependent on such water sources. The decline in the availability of spring water has led to acute shortages for drinking and domestic use, impacting livelihoods and leading to challenges such as increased outmigration.
