The Ministry of Jal Shakti has carried out the first-ever census of water bodies across the country with the aim of providing a thorough inventory of India's water resources, including natural and man-made water bodies like ponds, tanks, lakes etc., and collecting data on the encroachment of water bodies. According to the Jal Shakti ministry's census of water bodies, there are 2.4 million water bodies in the country, 2.3 million of which are in rural areas and 69,485 of which are in urban areas.
<p>The census was conducted by the Jal Shakti ministry so that the results could be used to inform policy for prudent water usage and conservation. The sixth minor irrigation census was conducted concurrently with the census. All natural or artificial water units used for irrigation or other purposes—such as industrial, pisciculture, drinking, groundwater recharge, etc.—and surrounded by some or no masonry work qualify.</p>
The five states with the highest percentages of water bodies i.e., 63%, are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Assam. According to the Jal Shakti ministry's census on water bodies report, ponds make up about 59.5% of all water bodies, followed by tanks (15.7%), reservoirs (12.1%), water conservation schemes/percolation tanks/check dams (9.3%), lakes (0.9%), and others (2.5%). Approximately 55.2% of water bodies are owned by private companies, while 44.8% are under public ownership.
The census also revealed important information about the country's water supplies and highlighted differences between rural and urban areas as well as various degrees of encroachment. 83.7% (2.03 million) of these water bodies are "in use," while the remaining ones are inoperable due to drying out, silting, building, etc. Only 1.6% of the total number of water bodies listed have experienced encroachment, according to data on the subject that has been gathered. 95.4% of the encroached bodies in this pool are in rural areas, and the remaining 4.6% are in urban areas.
<p>Information was gathered regarding the use, storage capacity, state of filling up of storage, type, condition, and status of encroachments on water bodies. It included all water bodies, whether they were used or not, whether they were in urban or rural regions.</p>
According to the report, South 24 Parganas in West Bengal has the most water bodies in all of India (0.35 million). Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh (50,537) and Howrah in West Bengal (37,301) are the districts that come next. Most privately held water bodies are either owned by individuals or farmers, then by groups of individuals and other private entities.
The census considered all the different uses of water bodies, including irrigation, industry, pisciculture, domestic drinking, recreation, religion, groundwater recharge etc. The census report is being disseminated by the IEC section of the Jal Shakti ministry, primarily for planners, researchers, agricultural and water experts, policymakers, administrators, and all other stakeholders across the country. (Livemint, Financial Express)
<p>On April 17, 2023, Kerala became the first state to implement a water budget as a response to summertime water shortages and to ensure equitable water distribution. According to experts, the budget's investigation of water availability and usage can help the state manage the resource more effectively. On the same day, the third phase of the '<em>Ini Njan Ozhukatte</em>' (Let me flow now) project for the rehabilitation of irrigation networks in the Western Ghats was also launched. This coincided with the release of the specifics of the first phase of the water budget.</p>
The initiative will also raise awareness of efficient water usage and avoidance of waste. Water scarcity has been reported in 94 Gram Panchayats and 15 Block Panchayats, which would be covered by the project's first phase. The budget provides information about water supply in a certain location and consumption based on the local population. Kerala's water management problems are the problem, not a lack of water. The fundamental rule of managing any resource is that you must first decide how much of it you have. Now, if one had figures for supply and demand, one would have a true picture. This water budget is a wise idea in this instance.
<p>The budget was prepared by the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management Institute, along with the state water department. Water experts believe that the project will enhance the demand and supply system. The budget is also timely given that the state's temperatures have been rising rapidly over the past several weeks. Despite the state's more than 44 rivers and several lakes, ponds, and canals, the high temperatures have led to water shortages in some areas.</p>
The state still possesses three times more water than the national average, despite the growing scarcity. Additionally, the government will make sure that local self-governing institutions are included in the budget so that rainwater can be distributed fairly for irrigation and agriculture. In recent years, the Kerala government has restored 15,119 miles of waterways. According to the government, local bodies are revitalising more ponds and streams and have been given the duty of carrying out the water budget. (The Hindu, Newsclick, Deccan Herald)
A whitepaper was recently released in collaboration with the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) with the goal of making India a leader in agri-tech innovation and bringing these ideas to the least-developed countries in Asia and Africa. The NITI Aayog said in a statement that the whitepaper, which was painstakingly created by experts from AIM, NITI Aayog, and UNCDF, "offers actionable steps to overcome challenges faced by agri-tech start-ups and facilitate their growth at national and international levels."
<p>The whitepaper summarises the key findings and suggestions needed to address agriculture sector difficulties and advance sustainable practices that aid smallholder farmers in developing countries. Innovations in agri-tech will aid in addressing issues with climate change, inefficient supply chains, and food security.</p>
Agri-tech businesses in India have changed the game for the agriculture industry by providing creative answers to issues like climate change and increasing productivity. The AIM-UNCDF agri-tech competition revealed the market's enormous promise and potential.
<p>AIM engages with partner countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia. AIM is an anchor partner of the south-south collaboration projects. Three major issues facing the agriculture sector are the focus of the collaboration: low productivity, inadequate risk resilience, and ineffective supply chain management. The partners have expressed interest in and are at various levels of cross-border interaction with 25 potential agri-tech start-ups that seek to address important concerns related to production, supply chain, risk, and climate change.</p>
Agri-tech start-ups in emerging nations have effectively offered digital answers to a number of the sector's previous problems. AIM is dedicated to fostering the growth of start-ups and international knowledge exchange while partnering with UNCDF to fund high-impact agri-tech technologies. In less developed start-up economies around the world, the Indian start-up sector has the ability to serve as a knowledge hub and foster market growth. (Livemint)
In order to promote sand mining, the NGT has been debating a matter involving the construction of a temporary bridge over the Yamuna in Sonipat, Haryana. In a submission to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding the issue of temporary bridges built over the Yamuna in Haryana for sand mining, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) stated that construction across a river channel for mining and "interrupting river flow" will impact quantity and quality of flow at different times.
<p>According to the NMCG, the length of the affected river causes "discontinuities," which may cause a decline in "biodiversity, fisheries, groundwater levels, soil fertility, and rivers' capacity to assimilate waste." The NMCG further observed that it had not sought permission before undertaking these preparations to cross the river.</p>
On March 22, a member of the NMCG and a representative of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board paid a visit to the region. They discovered that the plan for bridging the river had been abandoned. The 2016 order's restrictions have been broken, according to NMCG, because neither the project's proponent nor the Haryana government acquired permission to erect structures or pipelines. The NMCG has advised that actions that might affect the river's flow should be controlled.
Additionally, the Delhi Water Minister claimed last month that "illegal sand mining" and bridges over the river are impeding the river's flow, causing a dry river downstream at Wazirabad in Delhi, as well as water shortages. (The Indian Express)
In response to a writ petition filed by environmentalist Satyanarayana Bolisetty alleging that mangroves were affected due to construction activity at the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ)-1 (A) in Dummulapeta and Parloipeta of Kakinada, District Collector in the Action Taken Report (ATR) submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) said construction works were stopped in the region after the High Court had issued status quo orders. The initiative to provide housing plots in the areas was subsequently abandoned, he continued.
<p>A joint committee established by the NGT to investigate the clearing of mangrove forests for a housing project in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district, previously determined that over 30% of the mangrove area at the site had been destroyed. The committee also instructed the district administration to adopt "remedial measures" for the "rejuvenation of mangroves" and to stop working on the township project.</p>
The collector submitted the action taken report on the tribunal's different recommendations regarding the restoration of mangroves at the NGT's request. The KMC commissioner was instructed to check the site and take all necessary precautions to prevent any encroachments after reports that land was being converted for a lorry stand surfaced. The tribunal was also made aware that authorities have installed CCTVs in and around the site as part of their efforts to protect the lands.
<p>In the meantime, in accordance with NGT instructions, the AP Coastal Zone Management Authority (APCZMA) has formed a committee with one representative from each of the NCZMA, SCZMA, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, East Godavari Estuarine Ecosystem Foundation, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, and National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, and has requested an eight-week extension to submit its report on the damage that has been done to the mangroves.</p>
Satyanarayana Bolisetty claimed that the Pedalandariki Illu's construction projects were destroying mangroves in portions of Dummulapeta and Parloipeta violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification, 2011 and 2019, where the areas were classified as CRZ - I and CRZ - IA respectively. (The New Indian Express, Hindustan Times)
This is a roundup of important policy matters from April 16 - April 30, 2023.