Summer of discontent

After clever floor management by the BJP ensured its survival at the Centre during the vote of confidence, another major test awaits it this...

After clever floor management by the BJP ensured its survival at the Centre during the vote of confidence, another major test awaits it this summer. And this time, the threat will come from within.

It was a good thing that the BJP alliance was cobbled together in winter months when the demand for water is low. This enabled its constituents to paper over their fundamental differences on this crucial subject, by simply stating in the National Agenda for Governance that: 8220;We will adopt a National Water Policy which provides for effective and prompt settlement of disputes and their time-bound implementation.8221;

Water shortages during the summer months is bound to lead to renewed tensions between riparian States, the most pronounced of which is the dispute over the Cauvery waters between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. With high-profile and temperamental leaders from both these States as members of the ruling coalition, summer is indeed going to be a testing time for the new government.

Similarly, water sharingdisputes plague many other neighbouring States, such as Punjab and Haryana over the sharing of Sutlej and Beas water. The waters from the Almatti Dam have been a bone of contention between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for some time now.

Even though the Government has promised to frame a National Water Policy there already exists one. In 1987, the Ministry of Water Resources outlined the policy with full federal representation to address the lacunae in water resources development and to prepare guidelines for planning. It stated that: 8220;Water is one of the most crucial elements in developmental planning. As the country prepares to enter the 21st century, efforts to develop, conserve, utilise and manage this important resource have to be guided by national perspectives. The need for a National Water Policy is thus abundantly clear; water is a scarce and precious national resource to be planned, developed and conserved as such, and on an integrated and environmentally sound basis keeping in view the needs ofthe States concerned.8221;

It clearly spells out the priorities in apportioning water: Drinking water first, followed by irrigation, hydro-power, navigation, industrial and other uses. The lower order can be switched in particular regions depending on the area-specific conditions.

According to George Verghese, research professor on water issues at the Centre for Policy Research CPR, there is definite scope for expanding the existing water policy as it sets out a broad framework. However, rather than going into substantive issues, the coalition is indulging in 8220;political camouflage in an effort to buy time8221;. Ramaswamy Iyer, former water secretary and research professor at the CPR, says the new policy, when framed will spell out principles for sharing and maybe evolve a mechanism for settlement of disputes as the old one does not deal with inter-State sharing. He says: 8220;If by some miracle they come out with this in the next six months they are likely to be extremely general and stress that there should bejust and equitable sharing of water. This is unlikely to satisfy anyone and disputes will arise.8221;

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That is the reason past differences were dealt with by tribunals which were drawn from international experience. 8220;There were enough international case laws and principles such as the Helsinki Rules which were used in these cases,8221; Iyer said. Nonetheless, the Centre did try to evolve a formula for water sharing among the States in 1986. But it had to drop it in the face of extreme disagreement between States. Successive good monsoons have saved the situation for the States so far, but one monsoon failure could lead to major problems, Iyer says. Besides river disputes, pressure on the water resources is rapidly growing, says Verghese. There are shortages, water quality is deteriorating, ground water table is dropping and there are conflicts between users and States. Planners need to consider options like demand-side management, treating water as an economic commodity and rain-water harvesting, he added.

Withan annual precipitation of about 400 million hectare-metres mham, and rivers from neighbouring countries bringing another 20 mham, the useable component is estimated to be 110 mham by the Central Water Commission. Hence, the problem facing the country is one of efficient and equitable utilisation rather than lack of availability. Estimates show that the country had been using only about half of its exploitable potential.

If utilisation rather than availability is the crux of the problem then utilisation must be integrated within the socio-political fabric. Decisions by the apex bodies cannot resolve the dilemma, the will of the people has to be taken into account. It is ironic that the sufferers of the political debates are the deprived sections of society.

During the Eighth plan, the country spent around Rs 27,500 crore on medium and major irrigation projects at the rate of about Rs 5,500 crore per annum. Still nearly 150 million hectares out of 329 million hectares of the country8217;s total geographicalarea are barren or wastelands.

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The solution, which most experts are now acknowledging, is micro watershed development programmes. Recently, even the Agriculture Minister Som Pal said the new agriculture policy will stress on small projects that conserve water where it falls.

Such planning is already bearing fruits in the desert State of Rajasthan. Tarun Bharat Sangh, a Gandhian group working in the arid region of Alwar, has constructed hundreds of small water harvesting structures that green scores of villages in the region. Studies show that incomes in these villages are rising, which in turn is arresting migration to cities.