CWC OBSERVES NATIONAL LEVEL WATER
RESOURCES DAY -2003
To focus attention
on various issues relating to water resources development and
create public awareness, observance of Water Resources Day every
year was started in India in 1987. Subsequently, in 1994 UNO declared
March, 22 every year as "World Day for Water". Since then a joint
National Function is organised every year on 22nd March
at New Delhi followed by another national level function observed
by Central Water Commission (CWC) to mark the beginning of series
of Water Resources Day programmes throughout the country. This
year National Level function will be organised by CWC here tomorrow.
A theme is chosen every year which forms the basis for countrywide
discussions in various seminars, symposia and conferences organised
at various places in the country during this month. This year’s
theme is ‘Conservation of Water in Agriculture and Industrial
Sectors’.
During the 20th
century, while the World population has increased three folds,
use of water has increased by seven times. With the increase in
population, urbanisation and industrialisation the demand of water
for various uses is continuously increasing and thereby reducing
per capita water availability. India possesses about 4% of World’s
water resources and ranks 5th in the World for availability
of water after Canada, China, USSR and Brazil. This resource is
very unevenly distributed over time and space. This calls for
water conservation measures to be adopted particularly in irrigated
agricultural and industrial sectors which are the two major sectors
of water users. To face the water crisis that is likely to occur
in future we may have to increase the water storage capacity as
well as take measures for conservation of water and its efficient
use. With increased water use in Industrial sector, conservation
measures including recycling and reuse would have to be followed
judiciously.
To meet the growing
demands of water for food, urban and rural use, industries including
power, adequate conservation measures are a must. It is an urgent
necessity and involvement of all concerned would be required to
meet the challenge. Strategies will need to focus on augmentation
and optimum utilisation without sacrificing the quality with peoples
participation.
