Unrestricted flow, reproduction and redistribution of data has been a great concern with most of the projects and research establishments in India. As we heard the Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources voice his recommendations on the ways to tackle the looming water crisis, and the steps that the ministry is taking towards this, we thought of first putting down the highlights of the talks raw, before we get back to them in a detailed manner.
While we compile together all the presentations and papers, here' s a quick update on the talks from the first day. On the research challenges for improving the use and productivity of natural resources in India,
Two new publications from the IGB project were released today by the
U.N. Panjiar releasing the IWMI publications on Indus-Gangetic Basin with Bharat Sharma and Madar Samad
<p style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: italic; color: #707070;">Anil Singh delivering his speech</p><p><em><h3>Mr. Panjiar puts forward the following recommendations, stating that these could possibly help us manage well, the problem of water crisis.</h3></em></p><ul><li><em><h3>A comprehensive water database should be developed.</h3></em></li><li><em><h3>Assessment of impact of climate change on rescources is required.</h3></em></li><li><em><h3>Promotion of citizen and state action for conservation of resources.</h3></em></li><li><em><h3>Focus on overexploited areas. </h3></em></li><li><em><h3>15% aquifers in country are overexploite and another 15 are critical. We must increase water reuse by 20%. </h3></em></li><li><em><h3>Basin level resource management is essential.</h3></em></li><li><em><h3>Irrigation potential crated and irrigation potential utilized must be to the optimal levels.</h3></em></li><li><em><h3>In agreement with Simon Cook, he emphasizes that efficiency is an important issue. </h3></em></li><li><em><h3>Water, energy and food productivity are closely linked. This relation and interdependence must be explored.</h3></em></li><li><em><h3>Remote Sensing techniques are critical in agriculture and basin management.</h3></em></li></ul><p> </p>
Government of India has launched a Water Resource Information System and most of the data is being made public under this project! Policy too, is being revised to make most of the data public and it is projected to be launched by the end of current financial year. Launching a
Stating that it is important to ensure technology transfer to farmers to achieve “more crop per drop” he talks about a project conducted by the ministry in which 5000 demonstrations of relevant farm technologies were given to the farmers. The interim report of this project indicates that use of such technological interventions is important in improving the yield of the crop and improve water efficiency!
Looking beyond the water crisis & asking the right questions
"Water bills set to rise over 100% in new year" reads the loud headline in the Times of India, in New Delhi today. At the India Habitat Center here, the timing couldn't have been any better.
Times of India, New Delhi, Dec 2, 2009 (Read here)
Gathering in the city which just woke up to the water pricing issues and trying to ascertain the loss of revenue that it may have caused all this while, the forum would see the researchers from institutes like IWMI, World Fish, SEI, IIT, IARI, Jadavpur University presenting their findings from a two year long study on the Indus and Ganges rivers.
My guess is that, having the Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India as the chief guest might just ensure (to a certain extent) that the results and findings would be heard and considered.
Simon Cook (speaking)
(He finds this scheme useful in organizing his observations on poverty, livelihood and water.)