North Tripura DM Chandni Chandran calls for urgent Springshed Revival

Chandni Chandran, IAS, District Magistrate & Collector of North Tripura, emerged as a leading voice at the Regional Workshop on Himalayan Water Partnership: Strengthening Knowledge, Practice and Partnerships for Springshed Management, calling for urgent measures to protect fragile water ecosystems in the Himalayan and Northeastern regions.

Addressing a panel on “Role of Technology, Community in Springshed Management and the Need for an Integrated Policy Framework”, Chandran highlighted the alarming decline of natural springs, warning that nearly 40 percent of springs in Northeast India have disappeared in the past five years. She cautioned that this rapid loss threatens water security, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of hill communities.

Drawing from her experience in Tripura’s Springshed Management Project in Jampui Hills, Chandran shared how interventions across 36 springs had successfully improved groundwater recharge and revived several sources that were on the verge of drying up. She emphasized that combining scientific methods with community participation is the most effective way to restore critical water resources.

The District Magistrate also raised concerns about the allocation of national water conservation funds, noting that a large share under MGNREGA is directed towards discharge zones in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, while recharge zones in the Northeast and Himalayas remain underfunded. “Unless upstream conservation is strengthened, downstream water availability cannot be sustained,” she asserted, urging that water conservation initiatives be made mandatory across all districts.

Chandran further pointed to innovative grassroots models, such as the initiative in Chhattisgarh’s Koriya district where farmers dedicate five percent of their land to water conservation. She recommended adopting similar approaches nationwide, linking them to subsidies and support schemes to embed sustainability into agriculture.

The workshop, organized by Tata Trust and CML in collaboration with the Governments of Assam and Tripura, concluded with a collective call for stronger partnerships, knowledge sharing, and integrated policy frameworks. 

Participants agreed that integrating modern technology, traditional wisdom, and community-led monitoring is essential to safeguard springs, restore fragile ecosystems, and build resilience against climate change.