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Need of Integrated
Awareness Reformation on Water Management
P.Kumar
Rajasthan is
The supply of safe water is critical to
the growth, survival and development of children. IWARP has always been a
staunch advocate of solving the problem of drinking water through community
participation. The involvement of Panchayat Raj functionaries, networking of NGOs and alliance building
with other partners can lead to better water resource management to alter the
situation for the better. The rainwater harvesting techniques if adopted
scientifically can help arrest the follow of water which otherwise goes as a
waste. IWARP has supported development and demonstration of various models of
rain water harvesting by some R&D organization wherein water can be
collected and used by the community or alternatively it can also be recharged
into the ground for sustaining the ground water table.
The government of India sponsored programme of Swarjaldhara wherein
the water supply systems are selected, planned, implemented and maintained by
the community, has the potential of improving the drinking water scenario in
the state if implemented in right earnest and commitment by instilling a sense
of ownership in the community.Unfortunately almost
25% of the villages in the state are suffering from presence of high level of
fluoride in ground water. Nine districts of the state are having fluorosis problem every year because of scanty rainfall and
indiscriminate exploitation of ground water. UNICEF/World Bank have supported
development of an integrated model for fluorosis
mitigation by GOR involving creation of awareness about control and mitigation
of fluorosis, changing dietary habits, rain water
harvesting, and domestic defluoriation through
activated alumina filters. This model has been tested on the ground in the
state and given noteworthy results.
Rajasthan.iwarp.com will provide an
interface for dialogue between Government, private sector, civil society
organizations and community on water related issues. Government Institutions
and NGOs will lead to viable solutions to address the water crisis in the state
and help in development of water solution for the state.
Objective
Creating awareness on water management
situation and the poor governance that prevails in the water sector,Influencing public opinion,
and lobbying with policy makers for:
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Resisting
commodification and commercialization of water
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Ensuring
water rights and entitlements of local communities
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Opposing
privatization of water especially in the context of globalization and GATS
We hope that the IWARP will contribute in
a major way in strengthening the institutional framework pertaining to the
availability of and access to water in Rajasthan. This framework includes
establishment of appropriate policy regime, fixing responsibilities and
accountability of different actors, standards for water quality and service
provision (especially for the poor), for the environment, for land use
management and for the construction and management of infrastructure regarding
water supply and access.
Executive
Summary
A web portal “Rajasthan IWARP” (Water Awareness)
was managed by A Jodhpur based web networking knowledge bank to support the
natural resources management awareness in water scarcity areas. Under this
program like panel discussions with corporate sector, bureaucrats, technocrats,
non-governmental organizations, civil society actors, politicians, poster and
slogan competition for children and youth, and public forum. The primary
objective of this web portal is to initiate a dialogue with all sections of
society, as much as possible, discussing the water crisis in order to move
towards a sustainable solution to this problem and generate a debate as well as
awareness.
Ø
As a
curtain raiser, a press conference, to announce the event and its objectives, which
was largely attended by print and electronic media, both? The reaction of the
media was encouraging, enthusiastic and supportive, as reflected subsequently
in the prominent coverage of the entire event throughout the week
Ø
Next
day a day-long exercise was initiated with the representatives of corporate
sector. It emerged that there is an acute necessity to evolve a holistic policy
of water in which segments of other policies related to water are incorporated
and given a detailed treatment, like agriculture policy, mining policy, public
health policy, power policy, etc.
Ø
As
water is perceived a pivotal constituent for society, it was felt that minimum
standards or norms of water-use should be set for each segment of society, e.g.
corporate, construction houses, weavers, etc. Social audit emerged as a
benchmark in efficient water usage in Tamil Nadu
(NLFS). Here the corporate house and civil society actors have joined hands to
overcome the water crisis wherein corporate houses have provided the needed
inputs and civil society undertook the operational and management part of it.
Similar practices of joint efforts of corporate houses and civil society needs
to be replicated.
Ø
The
role of corporate houses in sharply falling ground water levels in Rajasthan
came under focused discussion, since industries have emerged as important
consumers of water. There is an urgent need to put legislative mechanism in
force to check the falling groundwater levels in Rajasthan. The existing draft
bill on groundwater needs to be revised in consultation with NGOs, CSOs and public forums in order to eradicate deficiencies,
before implementation.
Ø
Capital
investment in social sector by the corporate houses will play an effective role
towards fulfilling their social obligations, as every section of the society
has equal responsibility in developmental process. Corporate houses should be
encouraged by highlighting their acts of social responsibility. This offers an
opportunity to build a long-term partnership between civil society and
corporate houses in the larger interests of humanity for common goal of water
conservation, management and operation. Adoption of village or Panchayat by corporate houses for water harvesting and
management should be taken up. Corporate and civil society should work together
as a partner towards policy reform and advocacy on water issues.
Ø
Norms
should be set for compulsory rainwater harvesting by Government institutions.
Ø
The
concept of secondary and tertiary water recovery is alien to industries in
Rajasthan putting huge amount of wastewater out of water cycle. Industry should
be encouraged to purchase equipments and technology of water treatment by
providing incentives like subsidy, tax rebate, tax holiday, etc.
Ø
A
‘Core Committee’ was constituted which will explore the possibility of
coordination and collaboration between the civil society and corporate sector
to move forward towards achieving our common goal - to overcome water crisis.
Ø
Discussions
with bureaucrats, technocrats and politicians revealed the immediate
requirement of chalking out a comprehensive water sector plan for Rajasthan as
well as immediate implementation of a legal provision for ground water
withdrawals. Lack of strong political will is responsible for this state of
affairs. It was also important that demand side management of water should be
analyzed critically.
Ø
Safe
drinking water is fundamental right of citizens under Article 21, as specified
by the Supreme Court in 2000 and state is duty bound to provide it to every
citizen. Therefore a wider role of community participation at local level is key to ensure this provision, with a special focus on women empowerment.
Special thrust should be given on localized, decentralized harnessing of water
resources, which is most cost-effective and also leads to better community
participation in the management of their resources.
Ø
Mega
projects like interlinking of rivers should be approached with utmost caution
as past experiences have shown that these grandiose schemes have not yielded
desired results. Since in sub-sectoral allocations,
agriculture accounts for maximum water use, cropping patterns and selection of
crops should be based on agro-climatic zones and water availability.
Ø
Rate
of water supplied to consumers should be charged in consistency with production
costs and with the paying capacity of the common masses. It should be ensured
that it does not lead to commoditization of water. Special attention should be
given to the sections at the lower rungs of society.
Ø
Traditional
family structure places the responsibility of fetching water, largely on women
and hence the water policy must be gender sensitive. This drudgery affects
women’s health in a negative manner. Recognition of women’s critical roles in
water collection, water conservation and facilitating its access at all levels
should be an integral part of the policy.
Ø
Panchayats and other units of local self-governance should be empowered by
handing over local people’s rights over their natural resources - water, land
and forest. An adequate mechanism should be evolved in this regard. For this,
government should support Panchayats, and required
amendments should be made in the existing provisions pertaining to legal,
administrative, financial and technical aspects. The role of government should
be confined to that of a facilitator/moderator.
Ø
Information
dissemination should be a key component in developing decentralized systems and
coordination between governmental and non-governmental organizations will play
a vital role in this task. Active meaningful participation of people,
especially of women and poor, at all levels - policy-making, implementation and
operation - is crucial for success of governmental programs.
Ø
Involvement
of youth and children assumes paramount significance, as one is harbinger of
change and the other is ray of hope for future. The poster drawing competition
and slogan writing has provided valuable insight into their sensitive minds. A
selected number of posters have been reproduced with main text and slogans are
given. The majority expressed their concern with regard to water use, water
conservation and importance of water.
Ø
A
number of participants shared their concerns, problems and experiences. Their
genuine concerns are reflected in the fact that farmers in such massive numbers
came to participate in this event in spite of this being the busy harvesting
schedule, in order to find some solution to their water problems.
Ø
Some
of the major problems and remedial suggestions were made. There was a unanimous
grave concern about the facts that too much water is supplied to agricultural
fields, than actually needed. One of the important facts, hitherto not
considered, is applying water to agricultural during day time, when evapo-transpiration losses are at peak. As a solution it is
found that application of water to agricultural fields in the evening saves
water as evapo-transpiration losses are drastically
reduced. A resolution was made to use only appropriate quantum of water to the
crops so as valuable water is saved. Similarly it was decided that water-saving
techniques should be employed in irrigation like drip irrigation.
Ø
Overflow
and leakage of water from public water taps and hand-pumps was an important
factor and it was decided that public should take up to check this menace in
its own hands.
Ø
Another
major problem emerged that proper attention and remedial measures of farmers’
issues is lacking in all the concerned government departments. It is important
to rectify this approach in all the department dealing with farmers, directly
or obliquely. A proper coordination of all these departments, related to
farmers’ issues, is equally important.
Ø
The
issue of policy also came under the criticism of farmers as it neither takes
into account the requirement of small and marginal farmers nor facilitates any
participation of gram vikas samiti
(village development committee) and women. It also fails to take cognizance of
traditional water harvesting systems in coping with droughts and hence is
silent on the vital significance of documenting these traditional ways and
means in arresting the water crisis.
Ø
Massive
deforestation, tree-felling and reckless mining are destroying rivers, streams,
rivulets and surface as well as underground drainage network, and hence there
is a need to keep the water policy in the centre of developmental activities
and all other policy should be weaved around it in a sustainable manner.
Ø
Lack
of information pertaining to governmental programs and policies remains an area
where a lot needs to be done. Practical mechanisms of effective information
dissemination must be established at a place where information regarding any
change in water use, policy and program of the concerned area is easily
available to everyone in the village, likely to be affected. Panchayats can be a very effective tool in this regard,
acting as a clearing house of information.
Ø
Local
people’s rights over the management and use of their natural resources like
water, land and forest should be recognized. All the necessary legal,
administrative and financial provisions should be made in this regard aimed
towards the empowerment of local self governing units, i.e. Panchayats.
The declared policy element of allocating top priority to drinking water, should be put in practice, sensu
stricto, as it is a fundamental right under Article
21. The official priorities of making drinking water accessible should be
reviewed with reference to location specific geography of Rajasthan
incorporating its regional characteristic feature, and specific needs of
different marginalized groups including Dalits,
groups like Bagarias, Gadia
Lohars.
Ø
The
state should undertake a comprehensive exercise of integrating different
approaches/strategies in water sector and prepare a Water Sector plan. The
state water Policy of Rajasthan should be extensively discussed, shared and
implemented with active participation of NGOs, CSOs, Panchayat representatives etc., after incorporating the
suggestions emerging through these processes. One of the important elements of
the new policy should be demand side management. Some regulatory mechanism for
the use of ground water must be established. It would mean several measures,
including the enactment of ‘water legislation.’ This should only be done after
detailed discussions with wider participation of CSOs,
NGOs, community representatives, rectifying the deficiencies of the draft
groundwater bill pending since last ten years. NGOs and CSOs
have a twin responsibility on their shoulders. First to generate awareness
among common masses and second to initiate a dialogue with politicians and
bureaucrats aimed at inducing required changes in the legislation. This task attains
grave significance in the backdrop of mere 49 blocks having utilizable ground
water resource within the state, remaining 188 already falling either in ‘dark’
or ‘grey’ category.
Ø
Making
mining industry environment sensitive and holding it accountable for its
actions. Recovery of secondary and tertiary water from the industrial
wastewater should be made mandatory in the industrial policy of the state,
especially in the marble industry which consumes 22 times more water than any
other industry. Government should adopt all possible steps to encourage and
promote this by providing incentives in the form of tax rebate, tax holiday,
subsidy on the purchase of technology and machinery related to this recovery of
water.
Ø
Reasonable
and proportional users charges should be levied on
Water. In order to encourage the rationalization of water use, fee for the use
of water should be levied in proportion to the use and socio-economic realities
of the areas and intended users. This would give the user a sense of real value
and help in mobilizing revenue for financing the water services and other
possible interventions provided for in the water resource plans.
Ø
An
elaborate, efficient, relevant and user friendly water resource information
system should be set up. The information system should be governed by the
following principles:
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Ø
Decentralization of collection and production of information and specific data
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Ø
Standardized Coordination of the system
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Ø
Guaranteed access to the data and information for the whole society
For immediate resolution of water disputes
an independent commission should be constituted comprising affected parties,
local community, subject matter specialists and independent person of high
repute in public life.
Cross-sectoral
water sector agreements, framing of policies and their implementation should
ensure that qualitative inputs of subject matter specialist are incorporated at
every stage.