INDIA'S WATER SECURITY CHALLENGES

Preamble

For several years, World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risk Reports have identified water as one of the three most important challenges worldwide. In 2015, water was moved to the top as the biggest societal and economic risk to the world for the next 10 years. While the world as a whole has abundant freshwater resources, spatial disparity and seasonal scarcity of freshwater, compounded by climate change, is emerging as an acute threat to many parts of the world. Perhaps, the biggest potential point where water conflicts might erupt is in the Himalayan region, between the two most populous and thirsty nations in the world, China and India, which share several transboundary rivers, including the most contentious, the Brahmaputra River.

Across the world, as per United Nations Report, 2.1 billion people lack access to drinking water services. Water scarcity affects four out of every ten people. 90% of all natural disasters are water related. 3.4 lakh children under 5 years of age die every year from water borne diseases. Agriculture accounts for 70% of global water; an 80% of waste water flows back into the ecosystem untreated. In 2010, the UN General Assembly recognized the right of every human beings access to safe, acceptable and affordable water up to 50 to 100 litres per day for personal and domestic uses.

Background Issues

India has more than 18% of the world population but has only 4% of the world's renewable water sources and 2.4% of land area. There is also the problem of uneven distribution of water sources both over time and space. The normal rainfall in India averages around 118 cms, essentially contributed by the SW monsoon. East Khasi hills in Meghalaya receive the highest rainfall of 1100 cms while Western Rajasthan receives the lowest rainfall (10 cms). As per estimates of the Ministry of Water resources, the country's water requirement is expected to be around 784 BCM and 843 BCM (Billion Cubic Meters) for low and high demand respectively for year 2025 and 973 BCM and 1180 BCM for low and high demands respectively by 2050. With projected growth in population to 1.58 billion, an acute “water stressed” situation in the country is expected in 2050, while “water scarcity” will start appearing from 2025.

Water resources in India are ridden with competitive issues and conflicts at all levels-between states (water is a state subject as per Indian Constitution) as well as farmers vs industry, rural vs urban, within irrigation and between constituents of command areas. A national survey carried out in 2004 observed 29% of ground water blocks being depleted to alarming low levels. Water contamination with arsenic and fluorides is also posing major problem. Inefficient water supply delivery and weak institutions/ policies are major issues. Supply augmentation seems to be the preferred response to water scarcity rather than an improvement to water delivery management and conservation.

The Govt's National Water Mission, under the national action plan on climate change, addresses some of the issues above. Its main objective is conservation of water, minimizing wastage, ensuring equitable distribution across and within states through integrated water resources development. Recycling / reuse of water are also planned. Govt's initiative to link rivers for sharing surplus waters is quite laudable. There is also an imperative need for relook on large water storage dams. Despite India having more than 5,000 storage dams, its annual per capita storage capacity is only around 225 cubic meters compared to China which has 1,200 cubic meters.

Focus on Creation of Storage including large Dams

In the context of India's water storage potential being round 700 BCM (billion cubic metres) and only a capacity of 300 BCM having so far been created, there is a strong case for drawing a plan for creation of an additional capacity of 150 BCM in the next 15 years by formulating a benign Relief & Rehabilitation (R&R) & addressing connected eco- concerns effectively. This is vital for India's survival, keeping in view global warming & resultant adverse impact due to climate change.

Prioritisation of Projects

Large untapped potential on Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh (Upper Siang, Subarnasari Upper and Kamla Projects, Kalti Hutong etc.) will have to be exploited quickly, addressing agitation against dams in Arunachal Pradesh/Assam by announcing a special economic package for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam & North-East region & encouraging setting up of appropriate industries utilizing the large hydro power proposed to be generated there. Projects in Bhutan (Sankosh) & Nepal (Pancheshwar, Sapta Kosi, Karnali) will need to be progressed on priority by strengthening cooperation with these states. The potential in Western flowing rivers to Arabian Sea from Kanyakumari to Tapi which is around 30 BCM as estimated by Irrigation Commission Report in 1972, will have to be taken advantage of. Action taken by the Union Govt to support funding states in improving efficiency of existing water infrastructure is an important initiative.

Irlinking River Basinsnte

This is a laudable initiative and needs to be progressed quickly, especially in the context of additional storage capacity proposed to be created which will also help in flood control, and augmentation of irrigation capacity as well as drinking water supplies to large urban population centres. Ken-Betwa, Daman Ganga-Pinjal, Par-Tapi interlinking projects are being given priority but commencement would depend on signing of interstate water sharing agreements between concerned states (a major issue which will affect most interlink projects). Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga-Damodar-Subarnarekha-Mahanadi-Godavari- Krishna-Cauvery. North-South link is an ambitious project and needs to be planned & progressed on priority as a symbol of national unity.

Inter State Water Dispute Act 1956-Amendment - 2017

The amendment seeks provision of a permanent dispute resolution body of Supreme Court judges with experts, benches being formed specific to disputes. Time limits (around four & half years) for resolution has also been prescribed. While this will certainly reduce time for constitution of tribunals, on case by case earlier, whether effective resolution through a legal/judicial process can be reached, on a political-economic issue is a matter of debate. With centre planning to support interstate basins with transboundary water surpluses, with Centre supporting River link projects with financial sharing, there is a case for centre being allotted 5 to 10% of interstate water resources, which it could allot to member states on need base from time to time. The Centre should also effectively use powers entrusted to it in entry 56 of Union list of the Seventh Schedule which provides for “Regulation and Development of Interstate Rivers and River Valleys.

Issues Pertaining to Transboundary Rivers

With regard to Brahmaputra & the China factor, India will have to keep a constant vigil on China making any efforts to divert the river north near Indo-Tibetan boundary and build international pressure on China on the issue. Plans to divert the Waters of the Nujrang, the “angry river”, in Yunnan Province by China on its downward journey South to Myanmar- Thailand, where the river is known as the Salween River, had been put in abeyance following enormous protests from environmentalists coupled with international pressure. This was on the grounds that this was one of China's most spectacular region with its rich bio- diversity popularly called “China's Grand Canyon”, an International Heritage site, which would be affected by the diversion. With regard to Indus water treaty, India should hasten to fully utilize its entitlements both on Eastern & Western tributaries. Work on Sutlej Yamuna canal should be commenced, if necessary examining an alternative alignment. Strengthening & nurturing relationships with Nepal (as well as Bhutan) is essential to progress joint hydro projects which will benefit both countries. To facilitate Indo-Bangladesh accord on river sharing, India could consider offering from Brahmaputra surpluses.

Ground Water Depletion

It is well known that in India 85% of Rural Drinking Water Supplies, 55% of Urban Water Supplies and 60% of Irrigation Water required are met from Ground Water Resources. Ground water is reaching alarmingly low levels in many parts of India due to excessive extraction for both agricultural & other uses. The initiative taken by Central Ground Water Board in having demonstrative projects for artificial aquifer recharging need to be sustained & state govts follow up the initiative with extra funding for spreading the programme. All states (like Maharashtra, Gujarat) should quickly set up State level Ground water boards for monitoring the issues. Atal Bhujal Yojana (Rs. 6,000 crores world bank aided) addresses critically depleting water resources of 5 states / 78 districts, representing 25% of distressed areas in the country.

Model Ground Water (Sustainable Management) Bill 2016

The bill recognizes the unitary nature of water resource, the need for decentralize control to an extent as well as the imperative requirement to protect the source/aquifier from over exploitation. It is recommended that “ground water” is brought under concurrent list with Centre controlling exploitation beyond some critical depth, State Govts controlling depths beyond permissible limits for land owners.

Draft Ganga Bill (Under Formulation)

The Bill is stated to aim at environmental protection of the Ganga to preserve its water quality and to provide the necessary back up regulatory authority for this. It is understood the Bill seeks to prohibit not only untreated water but also treated water to be discharged into the Ganga. This is a very laudable approach as with this it will put pressure on the polluter to reduce water consumption but acquire necessary land to make profitable use of water which may bring about several innovations. It is recommended that the Act in due course transform itself as a "National river & water body preservation & protection Act".

Desalination Plants

There is need to set up large desalination plants on Israeli model in coastal states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu etc to meet the growing urban drinking water requirements.

NITI-Aayog's Composite Index for Water Use-Focus on Conservation Management

Niti Aayog in a document in June 2018 has brought out comparative figures of water usage indices for Agriculture, Industry & Urban use (domestic water/harvesting etc) in different states. This will be an excellent tool for benchmarking to facilitate conservation.

Lessons from Recent Kerala Floods

Besides expediting river link projects which will provide additional storage capacity (specially for diversion in case of floods) the issue of dam safety & its proper functioning of sluice gates etc will have to be monitored. Rehabilitation programme for all dams, based on their age should be quickly drawn up & implemented. It is also necessary that State govts notify flood prone areas (from disaster management angle) and ensure progressive removal of encroachments.

Pricing of Water

Water needs to be priced both from conservation angle as also to facilitate interstate transfer of surplus waters (on Power trading model). State Govts should progressively withdraw from concepts like free electricity for agriculture, free water. If subsidy is intended to be given (eg for marginal farmers) this should be in the form of later direct transfer, funds being supported by state budgets.