The first and foremost requirement of
water management policy is to evaluate actual consumption of fresh water by
different stake holders and production of polluted water in the backdrop of
spatial and temporal availability of
both surface and subsurface water. Wastage of fresh water in irrigation
sector and urban areas should also be taken into account. Compilation of
district wise water footprints of foods, industrial products and services
consumed by the individual and business
on the basis of UNESCO-IHE document of 2002 will be of much help to allocate
water in different sectors and resolve water conflict among states. The crisis
of fresh water in our country is due to want of any sound management policy.
Water management comes under states subject. Moreover there is no biding
guideline for rational management of scarce water resource. Now right to access
clean water comes under Human right as ratified by UN General Assembly.
There are two aspects of water
resource management. Both the demand-side management to control, protect and
conserve of water resources with supply-side management to augment the resource
should be implemented in a well coordinated effort of the stake holders to
mitigate the crisis.
Agricultural sector is the main
consumer of fresh water. So demand-side management of fresh water needs reform
in agriculture sector through change in farming practice and crop pattern as
well as optimization of irrigation.
The present practice of monocroping
industrial agriculture requires maximum quantity of fresh water and pollutes
(agro-chemical pollutants) water over a vast area. Deep ploughing reduces soil
organic content and creates demand for more fertilizer i.e, high capital
intensive. Shifting focus on polycroping agro ecological farming will keep the
soil covered by mulching and increase its organic carbon content there by
increasing water holding capacity. Soil scientist report for every 1 percent of
organic matter content, the soil can held 16,500 gallons of plant-available
water. It will reduce requirement of irrigation water along with the source of
chemical pollution generated by extensive use of fertilizer, insecticide,
herbicide etc in industrial farming. Moreover water logging and salination of
soil as well as depletion of ground water table due to over irrigation as
observed in many areas of Indo-Gangetic plain could also be checked.
Hydrocentric management in changing
crop pattern suitable to different agroclimate zone negotiating pressure of big
farmer’s lobby should be started immediately. Cultivation of water guzzling
crops like sugarcane and rice in water scarce areas and spending public money
to bring fresh water from far away source to meet its irrigation requirement is
the most irrational example of water management. Recent example of spirit of
cooperation of small farmers of Dhavadshri village
of Satara in Maharashtra
is worth following. They shifted to cultivation of spices from traditional
water guzzling sugarcane after interlinking their wells and implementing
rainwater harvesting to raise groundwater level without any outside help. This
type of spirit of cooperation saved them from ruin and also led the educated
village youth back to farming.
Research on water management
technology by ICAR and other organizations produced different technology for
optimum irrigation requirement of crops depending on its type and agro climate
zones. The farmers should be encouraged by suitable incentive to apply
different micro and other irrigation technology to save water.
Supply-side management needs countrywide
adaptation of different surface and subsurface techniques of water harvesting and
groundwater recharging projects. The technology varies depending on the agro
climate, hydrology and physiography of the area. Different pilot projects
initiated by CGWB and other government organizations were very encouraging.
Community level participation with spirit of cooperation is required to manage
sustainable groundwater as a community resource. Well known among many examples
is the restoration of water flow in river Arvari in Rajasthan through local
co-operation effort. It should be implemented by raising green brigade in every
village and towns to carry out rain water harvesting and groundwater recharging.
That will raise the groundwater level leading to increase in surface water
flow. Dr David Korenfeld Federman, Chairman of UNESCO International
Hydrological Programme was associated in water management programmes of
different poor countries of Africa and other
continents. He emphasizes that all of the cultural, social and economic issues
associated combating water scarcity must be taken into account, with a
multidisciplinary, academic approach rather than a political one.
Recycling of waste water in industries
and urban housing complex could substantially reduce fresh water consumption. Appropriate
public policies can create an enabling environment for such sustainable modes
of production.
Policies of combating water crisis
could be summarized as follows:
(1)
Managing cropping pattern accounting for
geography, agro climate and water constraint.
(2)
Govt role is to provide required economic signal
to promote conservation and right mix of
crops.
(3)
Providing soil moisture sensors to improve
agricultural water efficiency and reducing waste in irrigation.
(4)
Flood control system to be reoriented for
storing of waters.
(5)
Recycling of waste water.
(6)
Organising community level participation in
management of surface and groundwater through enactment of legal rights of
community ownership of subsurface water.
By Swapan Kumar Mukhopadhaya
