Kempty-Thatyur road construction is alarming for Mussoorie water body

A new road connecting Thatyur and Kempty is threatening Mussoorie's largest water source, the Jincy spring, which supplies nearly 25% of the town's drinking water. The road, which has already been cut up to 100 m from the spring, is designed to bisect the seven smaller springs that make up the Jincy spring. There are seven springs in total here, which are collectively known as the Jincy spring. The combined output of these springs is close to 2.5 million litres of water per day. Locals in the villages surrounding Kempty have been clamouring for access to Thatyur, the block headquarters. They must currently travel through Mussoorie to get to Thatyur. However, a direct road between Kempty and Thatyur could cut the current three-hour travel time in half. They have now realised, however, how the project is affecting local water resources. Residents of Jincy village nearby claim that road construction near their village has already harmed their water supply. Environmentalists believe that the road's alignment should be changed to avoid causing damage to this vital water source. Jincy springs are an important source of water for Mussoorie, and building a road through them is a major undertaking. The PWD appears unconcerned about the people's well-being. This whole thing needs to be stopped and re-examined by hydrologists and environmentalists, said Hugh Gantzer, an author and member of the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee set up by the SC to monitor Doon Valley and Mussoorie's environmental issues. Image Source Also read: Odisha to bring Covid-hit waterway projects on track Also read: Marathwada water grid: Maharashtra govt approves project in phases