meeting Dwarkeswar near Bankura Town and Birai River meeting Dwarkeswar near Bishnupur town . The panchayat level water conservation activities with 100 days ’ work in these two tributaries catchments is a new direction towards basin level integrated water resource management program in West Bengal . Dwarkeswar River originated from undulating plateau area of Puruliya near Hura . It flows South-East direction though Bankura District . It is one of the most important river of Bankura District . The two important towns of Bankura ; Bankura & Bishnupur towns are situated on this basin . The treatment of Gandheswari & Birai catchment areas which are around 340 sq . Km & 272 Sq . Km respectively is taking place at village level . The annual rainfall in both the catchments is over 1200mm and 80 % of the rainfall takes place during 3 months of monsoon . With deforestation and very little water & soil conservation measures majority of the rainwater goes to river as run off and evaporation as a result remaining 8 to 6 months the streams and rivers remain dry and during summer water crisis in the villages in these catchments become very common . The heavy runoff during monsoon causes severe soil erosion in the uplands . The change of land use , the rainwater harvesting through new ponds and reexcavation of old water bodies and other measures will make water available to the farmers of these catchments and it will help to recharge the groundwater . This will increase the base flow of Gandheswari , Birai and in the long run to Dwarkeswar River . The active involvement of the Block officials , Panchayat representatives and villagers . Thirsting for a future UNICEF recently published a report ‘ Thirsting for a Future ’, Water and children in a changing climate in which it shows that 1.8 billion people around the world , don ’ t have access to safe water and 2.4 billion lack access to adequate sanitation . Woman and children spend more than 4 hours walking a day to fetch water and more than 8 , 40,000 people die each year from water related diseases . It clearly says that the effects of climate change intensify the multiple risks contributing to an unfolding water crisis by reducing the quantity and quality of water , contaminating water reserves , and disrupting water and sanitation systems . Rising temperatures , greater frequency and severity of droughts and floods , melting snow and ice , and rising sea levels , all threaten the water supplies that children rely on and can undermine safe sanitation and hygiene practices .
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Integrated River Basin Management Society