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A section of the water sector practitioners and experts, have been engaged in the process, and a summary of the discussions so far, is available here.
Work on the National Water Policy has been in progress for nearly two years, starting in 2010 when the announcement was first made. Consultative meetings with academia, water professionals and the corporate sector were organised in 2010 and early 2011. Meetings with representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions and non-governmental organisations were organised in 2011 at Shillong, Hyderabad, Jaipur, New Delhi, and Pune. Minutes of these discussions are available on the MoWR website here. This PIB press release from the Ministry, summarizes the salient points of the policy document.
The draft is divided into the following sections:
This sets the framework for the policy, including the present scenario, concerns, and basic principles of water resource management. This mentions the interdependence of all elements of the hydrological cycle, and of the need for equity.
The need for an 'overarching water framework law' is mentioned. It mentions the need for 'development of inter-state rivers and river valleys' as also the need to consider groundwater as a public trust and not a private good.
Here, it is determined to prioritise a minimum amount of potable water as a basic human right and ecological flows.
This section mentions variability in water resources, the need to experiment with cropping patterns, and describes dams and flood embankments as coping strategies.
This section lays heavy stress on large centralized engineering both while estimating water availability and while determining a strategy for future use. Inter-basin transfers are considered necessary.
Water audit, institutional arrangements for demand management, reuse and recycle are considered.
Beyond basic needs, water is to be treated an an economic good and priced accordingly. The same is said of electricity, as otherwise wastage of water is encouraged.
'River corridors' and other water bodies are threatened by over-exploitation, pollution, and infrastructure development. This section talks of the need for their conservation.
This concerns itself with the speedy execution of projects through concurrent monitoring by the State and the Centre.
Displaced people are to be made partners in development by due attention to compensation.
The focus is on developing structural controls for floods and on developing disaster management plans.
Reducing the disparity between urban and rural water supply, encouraging water metering and water audits are mentioned.
A state-level water authority, a central water disputes tribunal, and a national forum for water are all recommended. It is also recommended that the State confine itself to regulation of services, while provision is to be done by the community or private sector.
A separate authority is recommended to manage data related to water, other than data that has to be kept secret due to national security reasons.
This too recommends the establishment of a separate national-level training centre.
The importance of developing bilateral agreements is stressed upon.
Comments to the Ministry on the draft National Water Policy 2012, have to be emailed to: nwp2012-mowr@nic.in. Last date for sending comments is 29th Feb 2012.
You can also add your as a comment to this page below or by email to contact@indiawaterportal.org and we will compile and send your feedback to the Ministry.