River Policy 2011-Draft

River Policy 2011-Draft

Background (Taken from A Website)

Filth is what most Indian rivers have in common. Despite spending nearly Rs 4,085.65 crore of public money to clean up rivers in recent times, Indian rivers are dying of morbidity, choked with industrial, agricultural, household pollutants, shit, sewage, animal carcasses, half-burnt, post-cremated human bodies, garbage, plastic, polythene, toxic material, chemical effluents, multiple non-biodegradable substances.

Crucial for the country's survival, these 'civilisational' rivers have now turned into open sewage drains (like the Yamuna in Delhi), deemed unfit for even a quick dip, or for agricultural purposes by various government and non-government agencies. Indeed, the ground water has turned so toxic with sludge that vegetables grown on this soil, or fish in these waters, are highly toxic, deadly for the physical system of human beings, creating killer diseases like intestinal damage and cancer.

With the glaciers receding anyway, as the Gomukh-Gangotri glacier in the young and fragile Himalayas, will these dying rivers die their unnatural deaths in the years to come? So what will quench the thirst of modernity? Big dams? Big dams without water?

With more than 80 per cent of the Indian population dependent upon 14 major rivers of the country, introspection and action on war-footing is imperative.

Tens of thousands of crores have gone into scams and Commonwealth Games - why can't this kind of money be used to recharge the soul and essence of our dying rivers and the eco-systems they sustain? If the UK can do it with the Thames, and if Europe can keep all its rivers at zero pollution, why can't India? There are rivers in Oregon in the US with treated sewage whose waters you can actually drink. In city after city in the West Coast, city planners are proud to say, "We don't drink bottled water, our drinking water is the purest, tastiest, lightest, good for the system."

What kind of a nuclear power and economic giant are we going to become with stinking, filthy rivers in the hearts of our cities and thousands of tonnes of bottled water and plastic waste? Can't we even design a modern drainage system to block and treat the sewage?

Crucial cogs in the machine are the urban and semi-urban areas that inject poison into the veins of these rivers. As these rivers flow past urban areas, more pollutants and chemicals get added. The Yamuna's poisonous frothy mix can be figured out even from the Google Earth satellite service. It's terrible that thousands in Delhi still take a holy dip inside this deadly drain on festivals like Chatth Puja. Environmentalist Sunita Narain calls it a "Dead River".

The tragic, epical tale of India's holiest river, Ganga, is no different: its toxic levels are so abnormally high in places like the famous ghats of Varanasi, that it can inevitably lead to fatal diseases, slow dying and abjectly painful death.

Recently, in an undertaking given to the Supreme Court, the Centre has claimed that it will clean Ganga by 2020. The government has roped in seven IITs to devise a comprehensive strategy to clean the river in the next 10 years. The effort has been lauded by many, but most scientists and environmentalists are of the view that the project is tedious - its goal difficult to achieve in such a short span of time, - and will go the pessimistic way all such lofty ideals have gone in the past.

Several ambitious projects like the Ganga Action Plan and the Yamuna Action Plan have yielded no results. The government prefers being a mute, inefficient, useless spectator. The super rich 'world power' of Indian industry and business houses cares two hoots for our dirty rivers. Despite mindless splurge of public wealth and glorifying the Ganga as India's national river, the river has become so dangerously polluted and filthy that it is already a dead river.

National River Policy: Perspective

Pre and post India's independence, dispute over water whether at district, state or national levels has only deepened that being resolved. Disagreements among states and government has been a known phenomenon all over India. This is why the development of a National River Policy becomes more strategic and important than ever.

River Definition: A wide, natural stream of fresh water that flows into an ocean or other large body of water and is usually fed by smaller streams, called tributaries that enter it along its course. A river and its tributaries form a drainage basin, or watershed, that collects the runoff throughout the region and channels it along with erosion sediments toward the river. The sediments are typically deposited most heavily along the river's lower course, forming floodplains along its banks and a delta at its mouth.

Goal: Rivers have lost to its definition, subject to mass pollution and contamination. The goal of the river policy is to constitute a policy which enables rivers to be refined in the original term.

Objectives:

1. Disputes over river cannot be settled without a written and documented National River Policy, which acts as a guide document.

2. Rivers are a part of the human environment and society. The construction of this policy is for security and conservation of rivers from the social, cultural and religious point of view. As a part of a governance system, governments are the primary party for development of river policy, however as users , all human beings and citizens should also participate in the formulation of the National Water Policy.

3. Agencies/Organization have their vested interest to act against the formulation of a National Water Policy. However to overcome this barrier a National Water Policy will ensure that the definition of rivers can be rejuvenated in terms of : economic, health, environment and national values. Participation of communities at the grassroots level like the local community, districts and panchayats play a crucial role in this process However more important is to work towards rejuvenating the primary nature of rivers.

4. Corporate entities have setup a "Water Market" , where community owned water resources have shifted into the hands of corporate bodies. These entities chemically treat the water , and lead to further contamination of national water bodies. The water belonging to the people is packed in bottles and sold to the people. There is an urgent need for formulation a National Water Policy which will enable a arrest on the open exploitation of national water bodies.

5. Water quality of the rivers is directly proportionate to the land quality, which makes it further important for formulating the National Water Policy for control over Climate Change. It needs to be reinforced that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a nation is calculated without taking into account the economic value loss due to contamination, encroachment and exploitation of rivers. Hence to assess the actual value of a nations GDP , National River Policy will be instrumental.

Rivers are the property of a nation, and the people who live in it, and not of any individual or organizational body. The National River Policy will be a guide in the direction in making the rivers an entity owned by all.

Principles:

1. River land demarcation to be done on 100 years basis, and should be issued through a gazette notification.

2. Usability profile of river, cyclone areas not be modified or changed. Clear marking of source to ocean river flow, and the area to be defined as reserved area. Communities to be able to clearly identify reserved areas.

3. Contaminated water not be flown into rivers. Different policies for sewer and river.

4. Provisions for legal action against individuals / communities found guilty of polluting rivers.

5. Making necessary arrangements to maintain the nature and characteristics of rivers.

6. Formulating environmental river flow, state level policies.

National Water Policy India

1 River Rejuvenation and Natural Flow: Use of river water to be done while taking into consideration the natural flow of the river. It is hopeful that these will not an obstacle in fulfilling community needs. The primary focus to be laid on maintaining the natural nature of the rivers.

2 Uses-Prioritizing River Water

2.1 Natural Flow

2.2 Drinking Water

2.3 Water for agricultural livelihood

2.4 Celebrations-Public Gatherings-Fairs

2.5 Household, Panchayat, Municipality

2.6 Cultural Tourism

2.7 Energy, Industries

1. Natural flow of the rivers should be kept as a priority and no modification should be done in this. The river and groundwater is a social resource. Management of river and groundwater should be in the hands of the community and this should be laid down as a law. Community river management is an age old tradition in India. The need of hour is to reconstruct that system.

Families, educational institutions, cultural groups, religious institutions need imbibe the values of safeguarding the river water with every person associated with the institution. To ensure that rivers remain clean voluntary labor campaigns should be undertaken at all levels.

Improving the natural flow of rivers:

· Mapping of groundwater resources and flows with quantity and quality of water shall be prepared using indigenous latest technologies and made available in the public domain bearing the sanctity, uniqueness and inviolability of our national map having universal acceptance and respect.

· Nationwide, statewide and region wise mapping of all groundwater resources having links with streams, rivers and lakes and all other inland water bodies using modern indigenous technologies and human resources with public participation for definitive mapping uniformly shared across every related ministry, departments, planning divisions, media and citizens' societies.

· The new projects should be evaluated on the basis of their efficiency, environment impact, protection of water sources and continuously decreasing water levels.

· Old water sources to be rejuvenated, encroachment to be removed, making them functional.

· Finding ways of conserving the surface water at priority.

· Promotion of traditional water conservation structures, along with modern-day technologies of water conservation to be done hand-in-hand. Rooftop water harvesting, rainwater harvesting waste water, recycling to be promoted at larger scale.

· Promoting ways of making optimum use of water for agricultural use

· revaluation of techniques and economic possibilities for rejuvenating basin water treatment

· drains to not be flown into rivers. Provision for treatment of rainwater and wastewater. Ensuring natural flow of rivers. Wastewater management for agriculture and kitchen garden use

· Evaluating the time needed for recharging any water source. Use of river water for agriculture to be done in relation to the average level of water source. This will ensure water availability in areas facing water scarcity.

· Evaluating economic viability and techniques for use of hard water. Implementation of such techniques in areas facing water is scarcity or where there are no water sources.

· Promotion of sprinkle and drip irrigation techniques for better use of ground water.

· Formation of national river policy to ensure community ownership of rivers and ground water.

Project structure and implementation

· Implementation of projects on the basis of their economic social environmental and financial viability and their contribution to improving natural flow of rivers.

· Integrated approach of projects focusing on groundwater and surface water.

· Demand estimation of water needs in consultation with the communities and technical assistance from related line departments

· critical analysis of project implementation on the basis of their social and environmental impact

· Initiation of projects based on intensive research and detailed presumptions. They should also focus on the social and economic aspects of a project.

Management of river water resources

· organization and participation of water users

o Integrated water resource management to be implemented in the entire country through community integrated water management systems.

o Orientation of water users groups through panchayat institutions on integrated water resource management

o Nomination of community water group leaders through democratic processes with participation of small and micro-water users groups which would essentially include the participation of women.

o Setting up a system of coordination between state government and water user groups without affecting integrated water resource management .

o Ensuring consumption of water within the community on the basis of water demand and supply through awareness campaigns with the support of community based organizations.

o Making optimum use of water resources the priority at community level is with arvari river water parliament as an example. Setting up river water parliaments at community level but not limiting the scope of water resource management only to river water parliaments.

o Key messages

§ Community education on river water, agriculture that limited water resources, maintaining water life, implementing every initiative after evaluation of natural flow of the river.

§ Better and equal distribution of river water

§ natural water resource management

§ management and maintenance of water related infrastructure

§ setting the processes of fee collection for water usage

§ maintaining database on water usage

§ optimum use of hydrologic statistics

§ safeguarding water quality and public health

o Technical data, manuals, information to be available with water parliaments, effective data distribution, regular data collection, ensuring quality of data collection, and ensuring transparency for better social use.

Resources for the river water parliament

§ Providing technical, logistical, material support for training and orientation of river parliaments on effective water conservation, water resource management, and water quality.

§ Giving priority to projects where farmers would like to join the river water parliaments.

§ Setting up a structure program for management of water resources, water infrastructure, and fee collection in smaller communities.

§ Providing water user groups with directions and required support for management of water resources and infrastructure, for building of a sense of ownership among the landless and community.

§ Technically promotion and support at community level

§ water resource Department to contribute to its is trending river water parliaments by providing information and technical knowledge as and when required

§ initiating a mass awareness campaign for communities on their ownership, responsibilities, duties in the process of water resource management.

§ Providing technical support to communities on water management, water resource modeling, river basin, sub basin and water stream management

Irrigation process

The primary objective of surface water management is to make available maximum water for irrigation, it should also focus on ensuring management and released oration of groundwater. This becomes important to maintain the groundwater level and ensure optimum utilization of surface water before groundwater is brought into use. This way groundwater will be available to the communities for a longer period of time.

Effective irrigation systems

§ promotion of organic and natural farming

§ promotion of SRI and SCI techniques

§ selection of crop on the basis of water availability in the region in consultation with the community

§ promotion of techniques for improving the quantity of carbon in the land

§ distribution of irrigation systems through social and equitable processes

§ improving defects in water distribution system from source to destination of a river especially for small and large farmers

§ demand and supply based is structured water distribution system in place of time based irrigation system

§ Promotion of modern-day irrigation technologies among the farmers. Organising scientific and technical training is for farmers on water management

Water resource infrastructure

Collection and circulation of data

· The prime requisite for resources planning is a well-developed information system. There should be free exchange of data among the various agencies and duplication in data collection should be avoided. Timely availability of reliable information, conveniently accessible to all users, is necessary as a tool for integrated planning of new projects, and for following up the performance of existing systems and the status of water resources. Apart from the data regarding water availability and actual water use, the system should also include comprehensive and reliable projections of future demands of water for diverse purposes.

· Analysis of data available on groundwater level and boreholes and making changes wherever necessary. Also evaluating the monitoring process which will improve the study of boreholes and result in improvement of water maps.

· Develop a system of information and data dissemination the block, panchayat, user group level.

Information management systems

· Developing an interdepartmental information system. Making information on water resources available to the community based on their requirements. This will also mean collection of data based on the requirements of the community.

· Developing a central, easily accessible and secure information management system with the state water resource planning department. This information should be verified, consolidated, and made available to the community whenever ever need.

· The data they should include information on what producer groups, population, social statistics along with Hydro material logic Hydro- materiologic, water science, and groundwater quality statistics.

· Ensuring regular collection of data and merging it with already available database

· preparing maps of groundwater availability, cyclone prone area and environment zones

· Setting up water libraries, with information on historical to modern-day water resources would be available along with important information on water areas. The information of all the water resources should be computerized and made available publicly.

· Research on calculating water evaporation and storage infrastructure. Also initiating research to ensure minimal water evaporation.

Security of infrastructure

· Dam security committees to be made effective and proper composition. This committee should be made responsible for evaluation and presenting reports. The committee should also have the authority to evaluate the reports, ensure compliance and regulate.

· All technical information related to daily water flow, rain, storage level, and other relevant documents should be available at all the dams. They should also include information on evaporation.

· At Dam locations with habitation near it, the Administration should be responsible for providing information to the community on emergency management. The emergency management plan should be revisited once in every two years. It should also be ensured that the social preparedness of the community is also evaluated and changes are made wherever ever required.

Water outlet & hard water

· prepare maps of old and new hard water areas and also areas where the water flow is extremely poor. Identifying new technologies for using salt water at household level

urban water availability and wastewater disposal

· preparing and implementing plans for basic water and sanitation services in urban areas. And also looking at fee collection mechanism which could take care of operation and maintenance of the services. This will also contribute towards controlling the water usage in urban areas

· implementing programmes for disposal of waste water using Stevenage and construction of STP. Master weirdness in urban habitations on water and sanitation and hygiene. Focus on promotion of traditional Indian water purification systems.

Water conservation

· General water conservation-promotion of techniques on water conservation and sensible use of it. Using multimedia, school sanitation and hygiene education and technical assistance for wider dissemination and acceptability of the water conservation concept. Community education on community managed quarter conservation programmes. Promotion of conventional water management.

· Developing systems of recycling household, industrial, sewage water for reuse.

· Urban water conservation-developing concrete plans to arrest water wastage and water distribution system needs to be urgently put into action. Water wastage needs to be brought down by a minimum of 20%. The water meter system also needs to be proactively put into process.

· Taking steps towards arresting water wastage, which will include honouring people who have contributed to water conservation, and making provisions of punishment to those who contribute to water wastage .

· Municipality and industrial water conservation: recycling sewer water and using it for industrial cooling systems, Forest, gardening, and groundwater recharge. Making it compulsory for industries to develop systems of recycling and reusing waste water.

· Working in collaboration with the pollution control board to make sure that water is being chemically treated to be ready used in areas where digging work has been done.

· Setting up a cycling process of keeping a check on the amount of water being used by small and large industries. These industries would be required to maintain a register of water usage. This register would contain information such as amount of water used, amount of water recycled, water is storage capacity, amount of pollution emitted.

· Rural and agricultural water conservation: developing programmes for better irrigation skills and implementing them accordingly.

· Implementing the programme to reduce the water wastage during irrigation.

· Promotion of a sprinkle, drip irrigation and pressure irrigation.

· Promotion of reuse of water after irrigation

· making metered water usage compulsory.

· Establishing watershed management programmes in every basin

· groundwater: finding ways of controlling groundwater wastage permissions for new wells,borewell, or deepening of Wells to be only provided when the water user group takes up the responsibility of long-term groundwater management.

· Licences to digging machines to be provided only after considering long-term sustainability. Putting a man to machines that contribute to exploitation of water. More licences to be issued in areas with larger number of water sources.

· Preparing annual reports of groundwater based on information collected from various digging units and making this report are available to the community whenever required.

· Giving priority to areas of water conservation, integrated water resource management, groundwater management, to ensure long-term sustainability of water sources.

Water quality

· water quality and pollution: doing an assessment of the understanding, monitoring, and set benchmarks by the water resource Department. Establishing processes of social monitoring. Promoting social monitoring through community orientation on water monitoring and river monitoring.

· Analysis of water quality, head services at district level. Formulating a cycling programme to improve analytical skills on water issues. Using participatory approach to analyse the effective cost of water testing.

· Implementing programmes on community health in phased manner and undertaking activities for better water related health of the community.

· Doing an analysis of water sources and identifying fluoride content water sources. Taking corrective measures for either treatment or refraining community from consuming water from such sources. This initiative will require intensive participation of the community to understand the issues related with fluoride content water and its health impacts.

· Creating a list of all polluted water sources

· making sure that none of the industrial wastewater is trained into community water sources. The national standards for water treatment should be followed in such cases. It should be also made sure that the treated water is only used for agricultural and about industrial purposes. In urban situations adulterated water should at no cost to the drain into the public water sources.

· Identifying all industries who contribute towards the contamination of water and making sure that these do not drain industrial wastewater into community water sources.

· Formulating programmes on integrated waste management to make sure that industrial waste does not contribute to the contamination of water. In cases where such industries that identified who contribute to permanent adulteration of water, or bypass the principle of safe disposal should be banned permanently.

· Contaminated water: in no case should untreated drainage water be disposed into national water sources. Provisions for separate storage of rain and wastewater to be made compulsory.

· Analysis of the drainage system of all cities and semiurban areas to be done and implementation of STP to be undertaken. Wastewater disposal to be done in line with the health standards.

Environment Management:

· Analysis of climate related changes in sensitive areas and including them while planning for integrated water resource management activities.

· Individual the study of intensive and medium level water source projects and considering their environmental and human impact.

· Conservation of water is reservoirs and lakes so as to preserve the natural water resources

· giving priority to projects that are related to large and medium level water reservoirs and have populations living towards the downstream.

· Preparing a strategic environmental policy for rivers all over India. Making sure that the policy is being implemented in the desired manner.

Drought management:

· promotion of innovative ideas and interventions for areas with larger demand than supply of water through integrated water resource management.

· Priority to drought prone areas in planning any new water source development programmes.

· Conservation of rainwater to rejuvenate dead rivers.

· Cyclone management and water conservation: working on a proactive approach to cyclone management for rivers with excessive flow

· preparing cyclone management programmes for areas that are cyclone prone and also have a database of such areas beforehand.

· Community education on water collection and water recharge. Amplifying the concept of water distribution to arrest cyclones.

· Setting water prices in the strategic manner so that the people feel that water needs to be used sensibly. This would enable the communities to build up skills on better water management

· creating 3 to 4 different tiers for water consumption. More the water used more would be the charges related to it. There should be a clear distinction in the water tariff. The first level of the tariff will be minimal and applicable throughout the country.

· Defining water tariff for industrial, business, municipalities. In all such cases special emphasis shall be laid on water conservation.

· Bringing change in the present agricultural water subsidy being provided. This should be replaced with complete management maintenance and establishment support by the beneficiary.

· The water tariff program should be applicable to all water sources owners and users.

Legal basis

· critical analysis of the water area at. Obsolete rules need to be deleted or modified as further integrated water resource management concept. Legal processes need to be put into place for rights, responsibilities, powers in the water areas.

· Defining loss for rights and responsibilities of water consumers. Which will enable them to manage water resources on their own. This process should ensure to take into account farmers, marginalised communities and women.

· Formulating laws and policies for areas with water scarcity.

· Clear definitions on the duration of water usage need to be taken into account. Legal provisions need to be put into place for cases where water mismanagement is taking place period

· in order to overcome the legal dispute regarding water, a legal system needs to be brought into place, this will start from the grassroots level which is the village, and will be on a bottom-up approach to the government.

· Proper policies need to be put into place for discipline the use of water resources for which policies and instructions need to be formulated. They should be provisions for barring water services if a case of mismanagement is identified.

· In order to prevent encroachment on pollution of water units, a law on water needs to be put into place period in cases where extreme pollution is being noticed by user groups, the user group will have the authority to work in convergence with the relevant line department and take appropriate action.

· Formulating programmes for metering of water connections, distribution of water tankers, distribution of irrigation water, with the participation of user groups needs to be introduced. They should be passed through a Gazette notification so as to ensure its quality distribution of water.

· Water and land rights will be differentiated. The owner of the land may necessarily not be the owner of water. Water is a public property.

Capacity building

· capacity building at community, state level and national level needs to be introduced. The concept of community partnership and community participation in the entire process needs to be considered as an integral part.

· All community capacity building programmes need to include participation of water user groups, and Community members. This will also include rights and duties of the before mentioned.

· At the state level the direction of capacity building will be as: skill development, better technical support, data-processing, basin water resource management planning, pro-active approach to water resource management.

· providing water user groups and other community members with technical and knowledge support should be the primary focus. A strategy needs to be worked out for better communication and sharing of community experiences and technical knowledge.

· School curriculum should include subjects such as the need of water management, river water conservation, water management, effective water usage

· Community education on behavioural change in terms of better water management and conservation. Community level education programmes on community health and water disposal need to be kept on the priority list.

· Capacity building of community on: integrated water development, water distribution, social structure, community health, chemical and microbiological water quality, environment Management, drought area water management, better agriculture in hard water areas.

· Capacity building of government departments on data collection which would be appropriate, complete and relevant. Analysis of already collected data and making corrective changes wherever needed.

· Technical capacity building in human statistics, geography, information systems, database, website, geographical information system, computer modelling, analysis of water resources, and changes and better irrigation.

Research

promotion of government and non-government institutions for research on water management, education, related issues need to be introduced under a partnership model. Possibility should be explored for seeking support from interstate and international agencies and individuals.