Draft National Water Policy 2012 . Mere paperwork or realistic?

Draft National Water Policy 2012 . Mere paperwork or realistic?

Devang Chaturvedi

The all encompassing Draft National Water Policy has been shown the light of the day by the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India.

The report categorised into 16 sections talks on a plethora of issues relating to water, within the country. It also however gives basis points which can lead to the refurbishment of the scanty natural resource. In simpler words, the policy follows a holistic approach more synonymous with the inverted style of Journalism, where in the problems and the concerns are highlighted in the beginning and the steps and measures follow suit.

The vehemence with which the concerns on water usage within the country have been cited, gives clues about the aloofness of the common man, someone who doesn’t want to be privy to the consequences that might come up if water is used and wasted, the way it is being used and wasted. 

It is obvious for a water related document to bring the reader’s glare to the rampant and unabated usage of the resource primarily due to changing needs which are an offshoot of the increased dependence on lifestyle living and how large parts of India have become water stressed. It also indicates that how because of climate change, the ground water is becoming more saline and also there is an increased risk of coastal inundation. 

Taking rather a socialistic outlook of the situation, the policy document sees red with uneven water availability causing unrest within societies, the consequence of which is the exploitation of the groundwater without much consideration about its sustainability.

Putting blame on the fragmented manner in which water resource projects are being implemented, the policy document also highlights the inefficacy in the maintenance of the existing water resources infrastructure within the country.

The policy document doubts the veracity of the interstate and inters region water disputes which mostly do not have any inkling towards scientific planning on basin/ sub-basin basis. As also it grimaces over widespread water pollution affecting the availability of safe water and other environmental and health hazards.

The call for the Centre, the States and the local governance bodies to look into the per capita requirement of potable water is much more pronounced and only prior to this should water be made available for economic purposes, specifically for ensuring national food security.

It calls for a specialized concern for strengthening the weak water infrastructure in the north eastern and the eastern parts of India and also maintains the need for Community based water management on the simple pretext of, ‘seeing  is believing’.

Dependence on demand management of water is the means to effective water efficiency and which can be brought about by evolving an agricultural system that economizes water use and maximises the value of it, as also bringing in maximum efficiency in general use of water and avoiding wastages, says the document.

Incentivizing efficient use of water through various standards like water footprints and water auditing is also another method proposed by the document to holistically counter inefficient usage of water.

Considering water to be the elixir of life and the near unavailability of it, the document exhorts recycling and reuse of water to the maximum extent.

Water saving in irrigation is of paramount importance and newer practices of micro-irrigation (drip, sprinkler etc), automated irrigation operation should just not be promoted but should be imbibed in the working culture of the farmer.  The farmer should be mentally conditioned in a manner that is explanatory as to how in certain places saved irrigation water has lead to recharge of the underground water and how the same can be used in naturally low-flow season

An annual precipitation of about 4000 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) of rainfall looks impressive until and unless the actual utilizable figure is realized which is only 1123 BCM.  2877 BCM of rainwater is clearly lost. With an ever augmented water demand pattern, the only ways possible are direct use of rainfall and avoidance of inadvertent evapo-transpiration, cites the document.

 Assessment of the quality and quantity of ground water resources (replenish able or non- replenish able) should be done by mapping aquifers around the country as suggested by the policy document.

The policy document highlights the need for Artificial recharge projects to lessen the extraction and to maintain a healthy rate of groundwater recharge as also increased emphasis on Inter-basin water transfers for meeting basic human need and to achieve equity and social justice in water sharing.

Watershed development activities should be focussed on increasing soil moisture, overall land and water productivity and also reduction of sediment yield.  The policy document proposes that these activities be clubbed with the existing MGNREGA as then implementation of the same would be well kneaded.

Fixing the accountability on the user for any inefficient usage of water, it proposes a mechanism in every state to establish a water tariff system and fix the criteria for water charges preferably on volumetric basis i.e. the number of volumes consumed by a person as against the number of volumes mandated.

While water tariff systems do exist, the water tariff collected is so meagre that the accountability usually cannot be fixed and the pertinence of a water tariff system on a volumetric basis without protests cannot be foreseen.  The general notion is pegged at water being treated as everybody’s right and nobody’s accountability if it runs out.

For this, the document proposes a Water Regulatory Authority to be set up in each state to fix and regulate water system tariffs and charges. The authority may also have more administrative functions like regulating allocations, monitoring operations, reviewing performance and suggesting policy changes. It may also assist the state in resolving intra-state water related disputes. 

The document also proposes that Water Users Associations, if they exist any should be given statutory powers to collect and retain a portion of water charges, manage the volumetric quantum of water allotted to them and maintain the distribution system in their jurisdiction.

This too is likely to be a debatable issue as questions would then arise on the monopoly being exerted by the water mafia in releasing, quantifying and pricing, which may go the upward spiral.

Also the proposal to de-subsidise hydro- electricity would meet a toughened stance by the customers who would have to bear the brunt and shell out much more than he actually does.

States have been given the right to frame laws and policies on water, but still according to the water framework law, there is a need to evolve a broad and holistic national legal framework that essentially makes way for legislation in every state of the union.

Also the Indian Easements Act, 1882 would have to be modified as it appears to give proprietary rights to a land owner on groundwater under his/her land.

A forum as also a permanent Water Disputes Tribunal needs to be setup at the national level to deliberate matters related to inter-state water sharing as also intra-state water sharing.

The service provider role of the state has to be gradually changed to that of a service regulator and facilitator and water related services, as recommended by the policy document, should be transferred into the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) taking river basin / sub-basin as a unit, should be the main principle for planning, development and management of water resources. The departments / organizations at Centre /State Governments levels should be restructured and made multi-disciplinary accordingly.

Disparity, seen in water supply in rural areas as compared to the urban areas needs to removed and erratic water supply to rural areas should be fixed with proper sewage systems.

Rural areas with groundwater problems like fluoride and arsenic content in groundwater may be supplied piped surface water. Another option is that of dilution of groundwater with good quality surface water.

Urban domestic water supplies should preferably from surface water and urban domestic water systems need to collect and publish water accounts and water audit reports indicating leakages and pilferages.

In urban and industrial areas, desalinization should be promoted to increase availability of utilizable water as advocated by the document.

Calls for preservation of river corridors, water bodies and infrastructure are to be assisted by removal of encroachments and diversion of water bodies as also the drainage systems.

The policy document is humongous and self explanatory. It now has to be seen how well the governments at the state and centre catch the lucidity of it and how well implemented this National Water Policy 2012 is. The expected plan of action is, as suggested by the document however all are well versed with the reality and the sluggishness of the government action. Hope the natural resource this entire talk is about, stays to see that day as well.