Rajkot: When a representative to keep a long stretch of 125 km from the Indo-Pak border falling in Rann Ranah Kutch (GHG) they brave terrain which is very difficult.
Getting fresh water to satisfy their thirst at Marsh Salt Desert Thar is like a mirage for the Security Border Army (BSF).
But it has changed thanks to the water supply efforts and sewerage gujarat (GWSSB) which has secured their water demands at the Genda checkpoint or 1079 outpost borders in BSF jargon.
About 20 Jawan posted in one Chowki.
There are 40 chowkis like that, located at a distance of 5 km between them, securing the border of 125 km.
So far, this water for Chowkis comes through a tanker from Khavda, located around 90 km away.
But there is no right path complicating vehicles to reach the checkpoint.
Since 2012, a team led by M Thakkar from the Geology Department of Katch University and Hidologist GWSSB Naresh GOR has begun to look for freshwater flow in GHG.
Using carbon radio dating, they began studying sediments from 50,000 to 1,00,000 years.
Satellite imaging data from the NASA and Hyderabad remote sensing agency (NRSA) shows that the river system is in the past centuries.
Although the source to take sweet water is known in 2018, it still cannot be taken.
“We drilled the ground assuming that there was a Saraswati river flowing underground.
The total dissolved solid (TDS) of water in this area was as high as 70,000-1 lakh.
We drilled specific points where there was a possibility to take Saraswati river water.
We got water With 9,000 TDS which can be brought to 200 TDS after filtering, “said GOR Toi.
GWSSB provides 1 lachh liter of water treated to BSF every day with each liter costs around 37 Paise.
Even though this water is not enough, it has relieved the difficulties of Jawan and the board.
For all of the chowkis, BSF requires 3-4 latric water liters per day.
The current filtration plant capacity is 7,000 liters per hour.
But no surface water in an 80 km area and ground water is also saline.
“After we drilled Borewell deeper, we started getting sweet water.
We believe that this underground water comes from Rajasthan which is on the top plate,” said Executive Engineer GWSSB Ashok Ladhar.
Since the last three years, Borewell provides water 7,000-8,000 liters without using any machine.
Water collected in the BSF tank and four plastic tanks from a capacity of 10,000 liters, each of which is installed by GWSSB is distributed to all chowkis.
Dependence on a water tanker until the end of GWSSB has explored two underground Borewell near the Sandip Post and Khardoi Post, each located 5 km and 20 km each from a lead post equipped with Borewell.
This water from Borewell flows naturally.
When the TDS water level is in the range of 10,000-11,000, it can be treated and distributed between BSF Jawan.
Atom Bhabha Research Center (Barc) and ISRO have studied the requirements.
Barc has agreed to provide two more filtering plants.
“We also plan another Borewell near Narayan Sarovar.
After that BSF does not need a water tanker from Khavda and Bhuj,” said an official.