water advocacy - report 2003
TRANSCRIPT
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308, Mahatta Tower,
B-Block, Community Centre,Janakpuri, New Delhi -110 058
Tele-Fax 25516383 / 4 / 5
www.eficor.org
Organised by
Report
on
Regional Workshops on Water PolicyUttaranchal, Maharashtra, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala
February - March 2003
Prepared by
-K. Abraham Dennyson
- Joswant Kr. Hial
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Index
Page
1. Introduction 22. Preamble to Workshops 43. Course Module 64. Uttaranchal 75. Maharashtra 96. Orissa 127. Andhra Pradesh 148. Tamil Nadu 169. Kerala 1810.Major Recommendations 2011.Major Action Plan Adopted 2312.Conclusion 24
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No single measure would do more to reduce disease and save lives in the
developing world than bringing safe water and adequate sanitation to all. -
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Millennium Report
Introduction
In recognition of the central importance of water
resources to the planets future, the United
Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year
03 as the International Year of Freshwater.
India also has declared 03 as Year of the
Freshwater in keeping with the United Nations.
The Tenth Five Year Plan aims to provide safe
drinking water for all by 2007.1
The evaluation report of the United Nations on
Global Water Resources shows that India ranked
a poor 120th for its water quality. India also ranks
133rd
among 180 countries for its poor water
availability which is 1880 cum per person
annually. According to long-range UN
population projections2, India's population could, move into water stress
condition by 2007. Under high projection which is 2.58 children per woman,
the country would move into conditions of water scarcity by 2025.
These harsh realities of water had driven EFICOR to take up the cause of water
advocacy. EFICOR is involved in the field of water for more than twenty five
years now, from providing drinking water to soil and water conservation
measures. As water becomes scarcer it will be poor and marginalised who willbe left behind. Before late efforts need to be taken to make the voice of the
common man heard. The series of workshop that EFICOR conducted across
the country was in this direction; to initiate a public discussion.
The bible says Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and writers who
keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the
poor of my people of their right, (Isa. 10: 1-2).
Learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless,
plead for the widow. (Isa.: 1:17) As a faith based agency EFICOR draws its
motivation from the bible to take up cause of standing with the poor and
pleading for them.
1GOI Tenth Five Year Plan
2http://www.cnie.org/pop/pai/
Millennium
Development Goal: we
resolve further to
halve [by 2015] the
proportion of people
who are unable to reach
or to afford safe
drinking waterand to
stop the unsustainable
exploitation of water
resources by developing
water management
strategies to promote
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This report contains major issues, recommendations and action plans that came
up during discussion in the regional workshops on water policy held in
Uttaranchal Christian Mission Hospital, Chamba 17 & 18 Feb. 03
Maharashtra Community Development Society, Nagpur 21 & 22 Feb. 03
Orissa XIMB, Bhubaneshwar 27 & 28 Feb. 03
Andhra Pradesh Wood Bridge Hotel, Hydrabad 04 & 05 Mar. 03
Tamil Nadu Denobili Retreat Centre, Madurai 12 & 13 Mar. 03
Kerala: Hotel Elite International, Thrisshur 18 & 19 Mar. 03
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Preamble to Workshop
EFICOR had organised a conference in Hamdard University Convention Hall,
New Delhi during 11- 13 February, 2002 to deliberate on Water in the new
millennium: Challenges and Responses. The conference delegates came up
with the following recommendations3.
1. Asserting Water as an Inalienable Right.
2. Promoting People Based Governance
i. Water usage issues
ii. Decentralization of power
iii. Finance
3. Combating Corruption and Promoting Co-operatives.
4. Building Capacities for Mobilising Communities.
5. Rallying Support of Civil Society.
6. Pressing for People-Centred National Water Policies.
There was a series of workshops planned to follow up the aboverecommendations. By then the revised National Policy was not released. The
National Water Policy was released in April 2002. This opportunity was made
use of to raise the concerns in National Water policy and thus recommend
towards the State Water Policy.
The Policy's salient features are:
Safe drinking water facilities as topmost priority. Prioritizing water useallocation as: Drinking water; Irrigation; Hydropower; Ecology; Agro-
industries/non-agricultural industries; Navigation and other uses.
Participation of beneficiaries and other stakeholders in project planningand its management.
Conserving water in the catchment area. Adoption polluter pays principle in management of polluted water. Minimum flow in the perennial streams for maintaining ecology and
river regime system.
The concerns that arise out of this policy are:
Planning, development and management of water resources in citieswith priority compared toruralarea with so called national perspective.
In step to improve efficiency and optimal productivity per unit of waterthe approach to see water ascommodity.
3Recommendations for Action -EFICOR
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In effort to maximise the extent of utilisable water resources in thecountry the traditional methods of water resource management is
missed out.
Private sector participation in order to generate capital and introducecorporate management which will in turn leave behind the poor and
marginalised. On the one hand having spoken about participatory approach, the policy
seems to have a highly centralisedmacro-management and centralized
approach to handling water resources.
And a time boundaction plan is missing.Water Policy deliberations should include civil society, and all government
structures of the village upwards. Public discussions on National Water Policy
2002, is a must before it is implemented. The series of workshop on water
policy across the country in six states was an effort to address any dissonance
between peoples' voice and government policies.
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Course Module
Following is the course module that was followed during different workshops.
Experts, grass root functionaries and government officials were among the
wide range of people who addressed during the workshop.
Inaugural Day Final Day
Session I
Background to workshop National Water Policy 2002
issues Arising
Session IV
Regional Water Issues Implications of NWP in the State
Session II
People Oriented Water ResourceManagement
Alternative techniques in WaterResource Management
Session V
Group Work Group Findings Reporting
Session III
Panel Discussion Participants, Water Experiences
Session VI
Evolving Recommendationstowards State Water Policy with
reference to National Water Policy
Evolving Future Action Plan
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Utttaranchal
Workshop at Chamba, Uttaranchal was the first of the series of workshops to
be conducted across six states. Chamba is situated in a hilly terrain. It wasencouraging to see the enthusiasm of the delegates, who had taken longer
routes because of road blocks due to snowing.
There were thirty participants in all representing six districts and twenty twoagencies. There were five representatives from the government. The presence
of officials from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
(NABARD) made much difference to the discussions with their valuable
inputs.
Regional Highlights
Proceedings:
i. SHGs as Alternative Credit Delivery System for ProPoor Financing,Dr. D.S.Chauhan, AGM (DD), NABARD. IRDP and Cooperatives which
promised revolutionary results in rural development in the country, failed.SHGs should be used as a tool for implementing pro-poor welfare
projects.
ii. Insuring Water Resource through Community Governance, K.N.Vajpai,Consultant, Swajal Project, Uttarkashi. Water supply schemes should be
demand driven rather than supply driven to be successful. Various
Village Water and Sanitation Committees which had insured their
infrastructures under National Insurance Company Ltd. had their damagesreimbursed caused by flash flood and land slide.
iii. An Overview of the National Water Policy 2002 and Water Issues FacingUttaranchal, Mr. K.A.Dennyson, Coordinator, EFICOR. Ganges istroubled waters now because of deforestation, diversion and receding
glaciers. Doon valley is unprepared as to water requirements the way
development is going on. Tehri Dam cost benefit analysis shows
construction cost is twice the projected benefits.
iv. Community based User Managed System Can Be Scaled Up and ProduceSustainable Results, Dr.Naveen Anand, Faculty, Institute of Cooperative
Management, Mussorie. Indirect intervention of government, which is
group / self help approach, is the new scenario. Self sustaining model
for water resource management should include User groups, Federations
(of such groups), NGOs, government and NGDOs / UN.
v. Building Capacities for Mobilising Communities, Dr. Rajesh Singh,Chief Functionary, Gahrwal Community Development and Welfare
Society, Chamba. Community Based Organisation should play a
balancing role between these two theories: the normative(self-sacrifice)and Rational(self-interest) The self-dominated behaviour
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Key issues:
In Uttaranchal 66% of land area is under reserve forest, accesses to
water resources in such areas are restricted.
Underground recharge by way of water harvesting is not possible
because of its hilly terrain.
The risks of landslides and damage to water and water storage system
are very high.
Recommendations:
Himalayan Consortium: A Himalayan consortium should be created
comprising of all state representatives who are beneficiaries of rivers
flowing from Himalayan Range. This consortium should pool in
resources to develop and conserve the catchment area.
Insuring the Water Supply System: It should be possible to insure thewater supply infrastructure in order to tide over any damage caused by
natural disasters.
Underground Water Lineaments: Underground water lineaments need
to be identified with the help of satellites / GIS to harness the subsurface
water which is otherwise not available.
Water Allocation Priorities: Micro Hydel Projects must be given
allocation priorities immediately after irrigation. Water allocation
priorities should be as follows:
1. Drinking Water2. Irrigation3. Micro Hydel Projects4. Ecology5. Industries etc.
Action Plan
Dialogue with government offices and find out the status of State Water
Policy in the new state of Uttaranchal.
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Maharashtra
Government officials who participated in the two day workshop from Social
Forestry were cynical about the forum discussing policy. But the forum was
clear that policy is for public, so public should be called into discussion on the
matter.
There were thirty five participants in all representing twenty six agencies,
mostly from eastern districts of Maharashtra. There were four representatives
from the government. The absence of overall representation from other parts
of the state was felt.
Regional Highlights
Proceedings
i. Integrated Wasteland Development, Mr. S.U.Hiwalkar, DeputyDirector, Social Forestry, Nagpur. Watershed Area Development Team,
Watershed Area Development Associations and Watershed Committeesand Watershed Area Development Secretary and Volunteers are part of
the IWDP. The watershed committees execute micro-watersheds.
ii. Water Harvesting in Rural Areas, A.K.Niswade, Joint Director,Agriculture Dept., Nagpur. Water conservation is based on the principle
of Obstruction and Water Percolation. Extraction of water should be
less than the total percolated water.
iii. Women and Water, Dr. Mrs. Anuradha Gadkari, Scientist and Ex-Senior Assistant Director, NEERI, Nagpur. The utilizable water is much
less because 85-90% of the river flow occurs during monsoons. The
poor status of water is reflected in mother and child health manifesting
into infant mortality.iv. Water Issues Facing Maharashtra, Mr. K.A.Dennyson, Coordinator,
EFICOR. Rural: 62% of villages have no safe drinking water. Urban:
Mumbai has shortage of 900mld (23% of demand). Irrigation: Only 12-
15% of the total 308 lac. ha. area is under irrigated land.
v. Motivation to NGO and Social Forestry Activities, Mr.P. C. S. Singh,Ex- Commissioner and Deputy Director, Social Forestry, Nagpur.
NGOs get involved in social forestry by way of promoting cultivation of
Pulse tree, Cloned seeds, High-tech Nursery, Medicinal Plants and
creating awareness among village people on conservation of natural
resources.
vi. Microbiological Water Quality, Dr. S. V. Waghmare, Senior Asst. Director,NEERI, Nagpur. Reuse and recycle of water is important element inwater management. Local communities can be trained to test / monitor
water quality.
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Key issues:
Despite having spent about Rs 17,000 crore over the last 42 years on
water projects, about 62% of the villages in Maharashtra have no access
to safe drinking water4.
70% of the states geographic area is semi-arid region and are raindependent. Regular crop failure had forced people to migrate in search
of income.
Forest cover in Maharashtra has gone down to 15%5
against stipulated
standard of 33% of the total geographical area.
Recommendations:
People Governance: Panchayat Raj Institutions should be empowered
to control pollution and regulate groundwater extractions. They should
be empowered to levy chares for water and take actions against
violators.
Tree Cover: Tree cover should be increased with priority instead of
mega structures with regard to water resource management.
Water Allocation Priorities: Given the investment and infrastructure
involved in drinking water treatment, water allocation priorities should
be different for Rural and Urban viz.:
o Rural1. Drinking Water2.
Irrigation etc.
o Urban1. Drinking Water
2. Water for Domestic Use3. Irrigation etc.
Action Plan
Translate these recommendations, in local language, and make it
available to the people of Maharashtra.
Yashadha (Dr. Bharat Bhushan), Baner Road, Pune can be consulted.
4http://www.blonnet.com/bline/2002/08/26/stories/2002082600921300.htm
5http://envfor.nic.in/fsi/sfr97/A3.HTML#_Hlk439754779
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Orissa
The workshop was at XIMB, a modernized serene campus. The think tanks
from one of Indias leading management institute took active role inparticipating in the workshop. It was encouraging to see the stand they took
with the poor and marginalised. Thirty five delegates participated in the
workshop representing eighteen organisations. Two government officials wereamong the participants.
Regional Highlights
i. National Water Grid and its Implications for Orissa, Dr.B.P. Das,Former Adviser to Cauvery Tribunal, Bhubaneshwar. Inter-basin
transfer can only be considered feasible at national level only if inter-
basin transfer cannot meet the food provide protection from flood.
Considering the enormous inputs and fraught with adverse
environmental impact an opinion on the National Water Grid is not an
immediate possibility.
ii. Legal Issues Relating to Water Management in Orissa, Dr. I.C.Mohapatra, Former V.C., OUAT, Bhubaneswar. Local disputes relating
to land acquisition, compensation, compensatory afforestaion policy,
water sharing, head-reach, tail-reach problems need to be addressed
urgently.
iii. Water Harvesting Systems in Orissa, Dr.K.M. Parida, Faculty, Waterand Land Management Institute, Bhubaneshwar. Orissa has a rich
traditional water harvesting system. Micro-level innovations must be
encouraged
iv. Water Management: Community Perspective and Policy Issues,Dr.M.K.Nath, Xavier Institute of Development Action Studies(XIDAS). Water is to be treated as integral part of nature having its own
code of conduct rather than as a resource to be used for meeting
increasing needs of human beings. Planning, development and
management of water resources needs to be governed by people oriented
and eco-friendly perspectives.
v. Local Bodies and Water Management: Sectoral Reform forParticipatory Water Management, Shri.Soraj Nayak, CENDERET,
XIMB. Although local body management does not solve all problems
comprehensively, involvement of people group in management of such
precious resource is the need of the hour. The role of government
should be of facilitator and enabler.vi. Pani Panchayat: Case Studies, Dr. A. B. Patnaik, Bhubaneshwar.
Since sixties the dependency on the government agencies, lower rates of
water taxing and development of high yielding varieties of crops has
resulted in anarchy of managing water courses. The lack of sustained
need or benefit for all users is the primary cause of failure of
government sponsored Water Users Associations (WUA). For WUAs to
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be successful it should formed out felt need and have a benevolent
leadership.
vii. Privatisation of Water, Dr. S. Pepin, Assistant Professor, XIMB.Ownership need to be look at three levels-State, collective and
individual. We may promote selective privatization as long as the poor
are not affected. Community must have a clear role to monitor the
activities of private parties.
viii. Water and Peoples Right: Few Emerging Issues, Shri. Bipin Das, Co-ordinator, CENDERET, XIMB. Peoples right to water also needs to be
understood in the context of irrigated conditions and rain-fed conditions.
There is a need to create water right regime.
Key issues:
Flood which used occur once in every four year, during 1834 -1926 has
increased to once in two year, during 1926 - 2001. During last 100
years, Orissa had suffered 90 disasters (49 floods; 30 droughts; 11
cyclones)6.
The much hyped Pani Panchayats failed, because the farmers do not
participate in decision-making. Nor can they participate, because bigfarmers have feared to have hijacked the scheme.
Recommendations:
Water Users Association: The reason the Pani-Panchayats (WUA)
has failed is the government still controls water regulation and the
irrigation department dominates virtually in every area of decision
making. Sharing responsibility alone with them is not enough. They
should be empowered constitutionally; it should be authority withresponsibility.
Mahanadi-Godavari Link: The cost and consequences of linking
Mahanadi in Orissa and Godavari in Andhra Pradesh will be colossal.
Micro level projects like water harvesting, full development of intra-
basin resources and efficient utilisation of resources should be
emphasised instead.
Revision of Policy: Water policy both State and National should be
revised and updated regularly taking into consideration the ever
changing / evolving situation.
Privatisation: Water services should not be privatised in rural and water
scarce region. Privatisation under social / community surveillance, in
small scale can be allowed when there is no other alternative available.
6Use of Vulnerability Indices for Agriculture, S. Selvarajan et al, ICAR
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Action Plan
The Orissa State Water Policy should be studied and specific mandates
on it should be worked out with the help of a task force.
Conduct one day workshop during April, 2003 on SWP; Centre for
Development Research and Training, XIMB shall organize it.
Four Regional workshops shall be conducted at every Rural Research
Centre by July 2003.
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Andhra Pradesh
The disparity between government institutions was very vivid with respect to
water resource management. The piecemeal approach to the policymaking was
highlighted during the workshop. Hydrabad was a strategic place; there was
good local media coverage on this workshop.
There was representation of people from throughout the state. Fifty four
delegates participated from forty two agencies. There were seven government
officials who took active participation in the workshop.
Regional Highlights:
Proceedings:
i. Present Scenario of the Ground Water and Govt. Policy, Mr.Veerana,Regional Director, Central Ground Water Board, Hyderabad.
Conjunctive use of both ground and surface water is essential for tiding
over water crisis. The Water Policy is wanting in its integratedapproach. There needs to be a mechanism to coordinate differentinstutions related to Water Resource Management.
ii. Effective Management of Water Resources,Mr. V. S. Evans, ExecutiveEngineer, Irrigation Department, Guntur. The policy forms the basis for
future laws and statutes. Though the term participatory is often used,
the government stills controls the water regulation and department
dominates virtually every area of decision making.
iii. Pressing for people Centred Policy, Prof. P. Anand Raj, AssociateProfesssor, REC, Warangal. The institutional and communicationalbottlenecks need to be addressed in achieving a people centred water
policy.
iv. Highlights on AP Water Policy and Water Vision 2020,Mr.Padmanabhan Reddy, Team Coordinator, Loksatha, Hyderabad. The
shared water Vision of the people and government is to have clean and
secure drinking water supplies for all people in 2020. The strategis
framework for action are: State level policy decisions, Strengthening
district level water resource planning, Capacity building, Improved legal
frameworks, Institutional restructuring, and Creating opportunities for
people participation
v. Deteriorating Groundwater Because of Commercial Brine ShrimpFarming in Agricultural Farmlands, Mr. T. N. Murthy, World Vision
of India, Nellore. Agricultural lands are fast converting into such
commercial shrimp ponds. As a result saline water ingress the fresh
ground water aquifers. This is hazardous to the land where land is
rendered saline and unproductive.
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Key issues:
The Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Tree Act, 2002 which was
notified to promote conservation of water source could not take off
because of its unrealistic imposition of restrictions.
The government of Andhra Pradesh prepared Water Vision assisted by
Netherlands government. AFPRO was involved in facilitating the
discussion with important stakeholders at each district level, on this
document during 2002.
Unsustainable extraction of groundwater is a cause of concern
groundwater level has gone down sharply in many areas.
Recommendations:
Integrated Policymaking: Policymaking should be integrated in nature;
all related sectors like Agriculture, Irrigation, Forestry, Mining etc.should be taken into consideration while working out the water policy.
A mechanism should be evolved to coordinate all related institutions,
departments and committees at all levels.
Women Sensitive: Water policy should be women sensitive. Women
should be involved in planning and decision-making process of waterresource management. There should be at least 33% representation of
women in the decision making forum in regard.
Protection of Tanks: A protection cell comprising the community /
Panchayat Raj Institutions should be created in order to conserve and
protect the traditional water harvesting structures from misuse and
destruction.
Action Plan
Facilitate a public hearing on the issue of National Water Policy.
Submit the recommendation to the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
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Tamil Nadu
The significance of this workshop was that it was that participants were
primarily from Christian agencies. Fifty three delegates participated
representing forty six agencies. There were two representatives from the
government offices.
Regional Highlights
Proceedings:
i. National Water Policy- Issues Dr. Jebaraj, Dierctor, National PulseResearch Centre, Pudukottai. It is predicted that the demand of water
will be doubled in another twenty years. Comprehensive control and
management of rainwater, surface water, ground water and soil water
would be needed for increasing water availability and agricultural
production.
ii. Peoples Participation in Watershed Management, Mrs. Gnana Deepa,Rural Sociologist, DANIDA, Tirnelveli. Watershed development
provides an opportunity for optimum utilisation of land and water
resources and increasing the crop yield by over two folds. Sustainable
development stresses that the development must be participatory. It
must involve local people in decision making process.
iii. Advanced Irrigation Techniques, Mr. Parthiban, National PulseResearch Centre. By adopting drip method, the yield of vegetables,
banana, and orchard crops have been increased enormously. The water
saving methods has to be followed in the dry and irrigated lands for the
better management of the water.
iv.
Irrigation Water Management in the Future, Mr. K. Murugesan, ChiefEngineer (Retd.), Agri. Engineering Dept. Salem. By way of
interlinking rivers water can made available to the water drought prone
areas. Land and Water are fixed resources, it cannot be increased, but we
can increase the food production by increasing the productivity of the
resources.
v. Water Scenario in Tamil Nadu, Mr. K.A.Dennyson, Coordinator,EFICOR. Privatisation of Tirupur Water and Sewerage Project: Privatisationwill mean higher prices for poor who have to use less or go without. Inter-
state issues like Cauvery Bavani: Can water harvesting and reviving
traditional tank an answer to the crisis? Under Comprehensive Wasteland
Programme thousands of acres is given away to Private companies: How can
the community ownership of water resource be realised?
Key issues:
All districts except Chennai was declared drought hit, as many as 28
districts7
facing adverse drought conditions. 17.34 lakh hectares8
of
7http://www.rediff.com/news/03/jan/23tn.htm
8http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/08/21/stories/2002082104491300.htm
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crop are affected as a result. The drought, said to be the worst in 70
years9.
The Tamil Nadu government's wasteland development programme10
,
which will pave the way for the entry of corporate giants into the State'sagricultural sector, is likely to deprive people of their access to precious
natural resource like water.
No sign of end to the century old Cauvery dispute. Any resolution to
end the crisis will have to wait until the politicking surrounding the
water disputes in the four states is brought to an end.
Recommendations:
Civil Societys Role: The community should be trained and empowered
to ensure their involvement in all areas of planning and execution of
water related projects. NGOs should be involved in the process of
empowering and building the communities.
Organic Farming: Promote sustainable agricultural practices by way of
organic farming. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are the key factor
in deteriorating the water quality both subsurface and surface water.
Subsurface water, when the chemicals ingress the subsurface and the
surface water, when the chemical is washed away with run off.
Action Plan
An organization should take up model villages with respect to
community based water resource management. Small pilot-study
projects with respect water resources may be entrusted to NGOs in each
district.
Start a prayer fellowship with like minded people to pray for the water
related concerns.
9http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2004/stories/030228003104700.htm
10http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2005/stories/20030314001205300.htm
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Kerala
The workshop took off on the day of state-wide closure on account of tribal
land issue. Few government officials conveyed their inability to participate on
this account. Government officials of Indian Administrative Service cadre
strongly advocated for privatisation, quoting Privatisation is the only scalablesolution because profit motive works; there has to be breakeven between cost and
income.
Fifty five delegates participated representing forty seven agencies. There were
eight government officials who participated in the workshop.
Regional Highlights
Proceedings:
i. National Water Policy-Myths and Realities, Mr.Biju Kumar,Lecturer in Dept. of Zoology, NSS College, Ottapalam. There is
little emphasis on completing the existing projects and maintaining
it. The efforts are for more for new mega projects. There are nosuccessful precedents to interlinking of rivers.
ii. Dr.D.Muraleedharan, Scientist-NGRI, Hyderabad. Reliableinformation / data regarding water resources are not available.
Optimal water harvesting (how much water has to be harnesses) have
to be defined as every activity in the micro level affects the basin as
such. The concerns with water harvesting are storage systems.
iii. Water Management Alternatives- a perspective, Dr. Joy Matthew,Associate Professor, Kerala University of Agriculture. Alternatives
available are-Rain water harvesting, Regulating water use,
Conservation, Increasing storage capacities, Recycling and reuse.
iv. Rainwater Conservation for Ground Water Recharge Need of theDay, Mr. Babu Matthew, Training Division, Central Water
Resource Development and Management (CWRDM). The in situ
conservation and harvesting of runoff water will help to mitigate
drought and moderate floods. Soil is the largest reservoir of water.
Soil and water conservation measures are two sides of same coin.
Implement developmental activities on watershed basis through
peoples participation.
v. Micro WatershedThe Better Alternative, Dr. Latha Unnikrishnen,,Chalakudy Puzha Samrakshana Samithi. There are various reasons
for water crisis. Micro watershed has to be understood in terms of:Understanding water utilisation, Short term activities and Long term
activities.
vi. Water PolicyAn Analysis, Dr. B. Ashok IAS, KWRSA. Waterresources are not state created and so no state can ensure water
security and so what a state can not offer is no right. Privatisation is
the only scalable solution because profit motive works; there is break
even between cost and income. The state should play the role of
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regulator; it cannot play both implementer and regulator. The
objective of pricing of water should be efficient, should recover cost
and be equitable. The concerns of subsidies are subsidised water
gives larger subsidies to wealthier household, because higher income
produces higher consumption.
Key issues:
Kerala Water Quality is one of the worst in India water quality statistics.
It ranks next after Lakshadweep(11.9%) and Mizoram(16.21%) from the
bottom at only 18.89%11
have access to clean drinking water.
85% of the surface water12
flow takes place during the monsoon season
which is vital for the continual flushing out of high salinity levels which
occur as a result of Keralas coastal position.
Frequent droughts 1982/3, 1986, 1988, saline intrusion and increasing
demand which abstracts 3300m3out of a total estimated 3500m3annual
recharge has added to the crisis.
Recommendations:
Inter-State Disputes: Water should continue to a State matter. A
monitoring body with surveillance facility comprising the concernedparties should be set up to regulate usage and sharing of water in the
basin.
Cross Subsidy: Drinking water can be cross subsidised by the
government so as to keep the drinking water free and affordable to the
poor.
Action Plan
Work out a media strategy for wider reception.
Publish a news letterand distribute it at grass root/ district / state level to
workers involved in water activities.
11 Source: Anon 1993, Housing and Amenities: A database on housing and Amenities for Districts,
cities and Towns, Occasional Paper No. 5 of 1994, Demography, Census of India. Pp 67-6912
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/kis/schools/hums/geog/water/occasionalpapers/acrobatfiles/occ26.pdf
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Major Recommendations
Water as Human Right
Water is fundamental for life and health. The human right to water is
indispensable for leading a healthy life in human dignity. It is a pre-requisite to
the realization of all other human rights. The UN has declared water a humanright. The human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, affordable
water, accessible water for personal and domestic uses.
Policy Initiative: The government of India should recognise drinkingwater a human right and adopt necessary policies to make this right to
water a reality. The government should take up the responsibility for
ensuring equitable access to water.
Water Pricing: Water infrastructure and services should be pro-poor.
A basicminimumneed for drinking and domestic water use should be
made available for free. Other water use needs to be taxed on the basis
of usage quantity and affordability.
Accessibility: The national cost of fetching water in 150 million women
days each year causing a national loss of Rs.10 billion per year13
. The
water supply systems should be targeted to meet the needs of the women
and the poor.
Peoples Governance
People Participation in local governance is vital. The water management
presents local problems, local opportunities, and requires localised solutions
and so it needs involvement of local government. Special attention is needed to
improve the participation of the poor, who are often excluded in decision -
making.
Peoples Ownership: The community ownership of water resources
should be recognised. Water Users Associations should be
constitutionally empowered to manage water resources.
Capacity Building: Empower communities to ensure their involvement
in all areas planning and execution in water related projects.
Communities and the local institutions they represent need to be given a
thorough technical, managerial, social and financial capacity
enhancement to ensure that system benefits are optimized.
Water Education: Water Education should be included in the
curriculum at school level. A more progressive generation has often
meant that sustainable practices of yesteryears have been abandoned.Knowledge of the gravity of water crisis coupled with enlightenment on
13Jal Swaraj Abiyan Navdanya, Hauz Khas, New Delhi.
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practices to alleviate the crisis may yet be the only hope to avert an
impending disaster
Gender Issue: Women are directly related to the accessibility of water
and the policy need to be gender-sensitive. Empower women to take upleadership and managerial roles in water resource policies and
management. There should be at least 33% representation of women inthe decision making forum of water resource related projects.
Social Auditing: In order to promote transparency, comprehensive
evaluations of water resource projects and operations by independent
auditors based primarily on social and environmental factors should be
made possible.
Information System: An exhaustive water resource mapping should be
done from Village / Block level upwards with reference to water
availability and water use patterns and made available for the public.
Such mapping should be participatory in nature involving localcommunity.
Privatisation
It was agreed upon that the public system had failed to deliver. The
government can not do both the roles of player and regulator or offender and
policing. There has to an alternative that has to be in place: Peoples
Governance / public-public partnership should prove as an alternative. The
consequence of water resource privatisation will be that the poor will be left to
thirst and natural resources will remain squandered and exploited.
Common Good: Water is a common endowment from God and cannotbe made private good. Water resources should be owned and managed
by local communities. If water is reduced to a commodity with a price
tag, access to fundamental need by those who cannot pay is threatened.
Cooperatives: Cooperatives should be encouraged to plan, implement
and manage water infrastructures.
Peoples Perspective: Water resource management need to be in
peoples perspective rather than industrialisation perspective. There
need to be a balance between the human values and the water
conservation on technological advances. Large projects need to belooked at with small rural communities in mind rather than designed to
serve the interest of the urban community.
National Water Grid
This gains significance with the Government of India to constituting a task
force to link all major rivers by 2016.
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Canal Network: India has one of the largest networks of canals. Most
of the irrigation systems are performing at very low levels of water use
efficiency of about 35%14
. Every effort should be made to strengthen
the existing infrastructure than going for new mega project.
Traditional Water Systems: Systematic efforts are needed to revive
and learn from traditional and indigenous technologies. Theseinnovative and environmentally friendly technologies need to be
strengthened. They prove to be strategic alternative to the multi-million
projects.
Inter-Basin Transfer: Inter-basin transfer should be considered only
after efficiency of intra-basin and micro level management is
maximized. Micro watershed should be preferred to macro watershed
approach. Thus social displacement, trees cover damage, and livelihood
problems can be minimized.
Displacement and Rehabilitation: People / Panchayat Raj Institutionsaffected by projects should participate in decision-making. There
should be no forced eviction.
Compensatory Measures: All effort should be made to preserve and
enhance local / micro / sub eco-system. The environmental impact
analysis should take into consideration such eco-system. There could be
no compensatory measure in place for damaging an eco-system. Cutting
a 100 year tree and planting few saplings would not solve the problem.
14Participatory Approach in Water Resources Management Seminar Paper by Mr.V.S.Evans
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Major Action Plan Adopted
Recommendations: Publish the outcomes and recommendations of the
workshops and make it available to the participants and the public.
Task Force: A core group shall be formed at the state level to take up
this cause. This core group shall take the responsibility of networking,
awareness and follow up programmes.
Networking: Start a network of agencies working in the area of water at
every region to advocate the issue of water and follow up the
recommendations.
Follow up Programmes: Follow up programmes shall be organised at
different regional level (district / mandal) involving different stake
holders Farmers Associations, Panchyat Raj Institutions, and NGOs.
A state / national level programme shall be organised for legislatures,
bureaucrats / Policymakers to motivate them for a pro-poorpolicymaking.
Awareness Programmes: Organize mass awareness campaigns on
water conservation, safe drinking water and appropriate technology for
optimal water usage. Create awareness regarding risks of privatization
among the communities
Sensitise peer, colleagues and leaders by way of sharing the concerns
with them on the issue.
Publish news letters, education materials on water and related issues and
research finding on decentralisation in order to create awareness.
Media Strategy: Workout a media strategy to so as to win their
attention on the issue and for wider reception.
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Conclusion
India is poor because Rural India is poor and Rural India is poor because the
farmer living in rural India is poor, said Mahatma Gandhi. Late Dr. ManibhaiDesai further added The farmer is poor because his resources are not
managed and utilized properly.
Given the situation of water resources in India, one would ask some basicquestions:
Why Take Water from Poor?
Dams are being built upon all major rivers to divert water to non-sustainable
cities. The Tehri Dam, which displaced thousands of villagers and potential
threat to the eco-system, is among the 10 dams15
to be built upon Ganga to
provide water to Delhi. Unregulated industrialisation is a cause of concern.
While rivers are privatised to supply water to the industries; it is the poor who
are left thirsting. The growing urban slums are the evidences that the villages
can no longer sustain their livelihood. This leaves both the urban and rural
situation unsustainable.
Why Development is always related to Mega Structures?
US on the spree of dam deconstructions over 50016
dams nationwide were
deconstructed during 2001-2002, many due to dam safety risks and
environmental impact. The multi million project of the government of India to
link all major rivers would include hundreds of dams, extensive network of
canals and lakhs dislocated. This would prove nothing but to divert people to
divert from grave reality by selling a dream. A sustainable rural India should
produce a sustainable India and nothing less.
Why is Privatisation an Answer to the Inefficiency of the Public Sector?
Corruption was attributed to the inefficiency of the Public Sector. However
there are evidences of corruption in public-private partnership. People should
be given a chance in managing their water resources. The process of
decentralisation is irreversible. The transfer of power translates into increased
powers for decision making and monitoring the implementations of such
decisions, to the communities and participation of local stakeholders like
NGOs and CBOs.
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee in his speech during Fifth Meeting of the National
Water Resources Council New Delhi - April 1, 2002, said The policy shouldalso recognize that the community is the rightful custodians of water. Both
the Centre and the State governments should, therefore, actively seek the
involvement of the community at all levels from decision-making to
monitoring the implementation of decisions. It is high time now that this is
realised on the ground.
15Jal Swaraj Abiyan, Navdanya, Hauz Khas, New Delhi
16http://www.fema.gov/fima/damsafe/dsreport6.shtm