Drinking water scarcity in the region seems to have created a drought like situation. The matter of fact is that as many as 73 areas including 22 urban cities, 31 villages and 20 other colonies in five districts of Kumaon division are reeling under severe water crisis , while as part of contingency measures the concerned department has only 38 tankers to supply water to these affected areas. Among others far hilly border district Pithoragarh and neighbouring Almora are the worst affected due to shortage of drinking water. The water condition of even rather better off urban parts of these districts is not better than that of respective villages. Out of 31 water crisis hit villages as many as 26 belong to Pithorgarh and Almora i.e. 13 villages each to Pithoragarh and Almora , while among rest of the affected villages four are from Champawat district and one in Nainital remaining high and dry due to this ongoing drinking water crisis. Similarly , urban parts of the Kumaon region are equally hit . Whereas Pithograh main city's demand for drinking water remains around 15.06 MLD , availability of the same basic need is only around 6.59 MLD. At the same time neighbouring Almora main city is receiving only around 7.500 MLD against populous demand of 19.50 MLD followed by Bhawali with availability of only 0.75 MLD against demand of 1.250 MLD , Kashipur with soaring demand of 16.30 MLD against availability of only around 8.70 MLD , Ramnagar with the demand of 8.80 MLD against supply of 4.50 MLD Though from agarculturall point of view Kumaon's tarai and bhabar regisons are most fertile and resourceful . Scarcity of even basic essential commodity in these areas is a matter of serious concern. The fact is that aprart from Kashipur and Ramnagar , other pockets of this regions are not less affected. Take for example one of the most fertile parts ,Kaladhungi . It is presently facing shortage about 0.50 MLD drinking water with availability of only 1.02 MLD of water followed by Jaspur with a demand of 3.49 MLD against availability of only around 2.64 MLD , Rudrapur with availability of around 11.52 MLD against demand of 19.025 MLD , Kichha with availability of around 1.8 MLD against demand of 4.5 MLD . Water crisis in other districts like Bageshear is not less alarming where availability of water is only around 0.60 MLD against a demand of 1.86 MLD followed by Champawat with a demand of 0.490 MLD dagainst availbilty of 0.36 and Tanakpur with soring demand of 3.51 MLD against availability of only around 2.45MLD . H S Pant, GM , Jal Nigam, Kumaon , while talking to The Pioneer. Though now the Government is implementing a lot of schemes in association with ADB , it is to be seen how long it takes to take on the crisis.