International Water Day Imperatives





The escalation of the conflict between Punjab and Haryana over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link is pointer to rising water scarci ty in the country. Of the 20 major river systems, 14 are already water-stressed; 75% of the population live in water-stressed regions, a third of whom live in water-scarce areas. Climate change, the demands of a rising population and the need for agriculture to keep pace, increased rate of urbanisation and industrialisation will exacerbate water stress.The Constitution has water as a state subject, except for reg ulation of inter-state rivers. The Centre, at best, plays referee Rising water-stress makes imperative a national legal and po licy framework for water to ensure fair and equitable alloca tion amongst different regions and with in regions among user groups, environ ment protection, development priorities efficient water use, demand and supply Key to ensuring balance between compet ing demands is a basin-based approach to allocate water amongst constituent regi ons and states. This will require setting up river basin-based authorities that must both be represen tative of all constituents and staffed by experts. Allocating fair share of water for every state requires assessments based on objective criteria such as specificities of the river basin size of dependent population, existing water use and demand efficiency of use, and projected future use, and alignment of development priorities, while ensuring the environmental needs of the river and aquifer. The basin authorities must cre ate a hierarchy of uses.
An equitable, efficient and scientific allocation that reconci les competing demands and is legally enforceable will stand India in good stead in negotiating water treaties with its nei ghbours, especially China.

Source: Economic Times, 22-03-2016