Water Policies in

INDIA

• Declining surface water sources like canal and tank irrigation.

• Increased groundwater exploitation.

• Increased depletion of groundwater.

• Replenishment becomes problem if non renewable groundwater is used.

• Resource preservation would not be in the best interest of the

region.

Water Related Issues and Concerns

Need for National Water Policy• Water is a prime natural

resource, a basic human need and a precious national asset.

• Planning, development and management of water resources need to be governed by national perspectives.

Objectives of NWP• Water resource planning

• Conservation of water

• Water allocation priorities

• Project planning

• Groundwater development

• Drinking water

• Irrigation

• Resettlement and rehabilitation

• Water sharing amongst the states

Contd.• Private Sector Participation

• Water Quality

• Water Zoning

• Land erosion by sea or river

• Flood Control and management

• Drought prone Area Development

• Performance Improvement

• Maintenance and Modernization

NATIONALWATER

POLICY 2012

Principles of NWP 2012• The principle of equity and social justice must inform

the use and allocation of water.

• A common integrated perspective should govern the planning and management of water resources.

• Water needs to be managed as a common pool community resource.

• Water may be treated as an economic good to promote its conservation and efficient use.

• The river basin should be considered as the basic hydrological unit.

Enhancing water available for use• Rainfall needs to be used directly .

• Aquifers need to be mapped to know the quantum and quality of ground water resources.

• Declining ground water levels in over-exploited areas need to be arrested.

• Inter-basin transfers of water from surplus basins to deficit basins/areas need to be encouraged.

• Integrated watershed development activities with groundwater perspectives need to be undertaken .

Demand management and water use efficiency• Systems to benchmark water use, such as water

footprints and water auditing need to be developed.

• Project appraisals and environment impact assessment should include analyses of water footprints.

• Water needs to be saved during irrigation.

• Small local level irrigation through small bunds, field ponds etc. needs to be encouraged.

Water Pricing• Water Regulatory Authority should be established in each

state.

• Water charges should be determined on a volumetric basis.

• Recycle and reuse of water should be incentivized through a properly planned tariff system.

Adaptation to climate change• Increasing water storage in the

forms of soil moisture, ponds, ground water, small and large reservoirs.

• Enhancing the efficiency of water use through the adoption of agricultural strategies.

• Stakeholder participation in land-soil-water management. • Incorporating coping strategies for possible climate

changes in the planning of water resource structures.

Management of flood and drought• • Agricultural strategies must

be evolved to improve soil and water productivity.

• Revetments (walls), spurs, embankments, etc. should be constructed to prevent soil erosion.

• Flood forecasting needs to be expanded and modernized to the rest of the country .

• Frequency based flood inundation maps should be prepared to evolve coping strategies.

Water supply and sanitation • Least water intensive sanitation and sewerage systems with decentralized sewage treatment plants should be incentivized.

• In urban and industrial areas, rainwater harvesting and de-salinization should be encouraged.

• Urban water supply and sewage treatment schemes should be integrated and executed simultaneously.

• Subsidies and incentives should be implemented to encourage the recovery of industrial pollutants and recycling.

Conservation of river corridors, water bodies and infrastructure • Conservation of river corridors, water bodies and

infrastructure needs to be undertaken.

• Encroachments and diversion of water bodies and drainage channels must not be allowed.

• Pollution of sources of water and water bodies should not be allowed.

• Legally empowered dam safety services need to be ensured.

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Project planning and implementation • All clearances required for implementation should be made

time bound.

• Concurrent monitoring should be undertaken for timely interventions.

• Water resource projects should be executed closely after they are planned.

• Local governing bodies such as panchayats should be involved in the planning of projects.

GANGA ACTION

PLAN

Origination of Ganga Action Plan

• Originated from the intervention of Indira Gandhi .

• Central Ganga Authority (CGA) was formed

• The Ganga Project Directorate (GPD) was established as a wing of the Department of Environment.

• GAP was launched by Rajiv Gandhi at Varanasi.

Objectives of GAP• To abate pollution and improve water quality.

• To conserve biodiversity and develop an integrated river basin management approach.

• To conduct comprehensive research .

• To gain experience for implementing similar river clean up programs in other polluted rivers in India.

GAP-I• Launched in the year 1985 to improve the water quality

of river Ganga.

• Envisaged to intercept, divert and treat 882 mld (Million litres per day) out of 1340 mld of wastewater, generated in 25 class-I towns in 3 States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.

• Completed in March 2000.

GAP-II• Approved in stages from 1993 onwards which included

tributaries of the river Ganga namely, Yamuna, Gomati, Damodar and Mahananda.

• Renamed program as Nation River Conservation Program instead of Ganga Action Plan.

• Spread in 165 towns of 17 different states.

• Undertook pollution abatement works.

Failure of GAP• Inappropriate Environmental Planning.

• Non availability of Environmental State-of-the-Art.

• Improper mass awareness and involvement of Ganga users.

• Lack of local technical expert committees for monitoring work.

• Establishment of non specific Sewage Treatment Plants on highly productive crop lands.

• Insignificant cooperation between Central, State and Local Government bodies.

• Least political dedication and vision to save the Ganga.

Vision for Ganga• Worshipped and defiled simultaneously.

• Unplanned urbanization and industrialization.

• Need to be taught that Ganga has lost its divine role.

• People must be warned that Ganga waters are not worth bathing and drinking.

• A massive campaign “Can we not clean Ganga?” should be launched.

• Central leadership must take the issue seriously.

Thank You