A research study on the importance of natural springs in the northern Western Ghat regions of Akole and Sangamner in Ahmednagar district ,carried out by the WOTR research team was featured as an article on the India Water Portal (Hindi).
The article highlights the urgent need to document these natural water sources for their conservation and effective management. These natural springs are not only a source of freshwater but also provide drinking water to millions of people situated in the remote villages of the Western Ghats. Moreover, they provide crucial base flows to higher order stream channels downstream, feed into lower groundwater aquifers and support a unique biodiversity (insects, birds, fishes, rodents, reptiles, large threatened species, and unique flora, etc) around natural spring source. The article calls for a collective involvement of different stakeholders for their upkeep and draws the attention of the Government bodies to these neglected, but important natural resource along the Western Ghats.
Link to the article – http://hindi.indiawaterportal.org/Springs-of-Western-Ghat.
