NATIONAL
WATER POLICY –2002 PROVIDES A LAUNCHING PAD FOR REFORMS IN CONSERVATION
OF WATER IN AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
Conservation of water
in agriculture and industrial sector deals in considerable details
with various conservation measures, which should form part of
our overall water management strategies and programmes. Smt. Bijoya
Chakravarty, Minister of State for Water Resources in her address
as the Chief Guest said here today at the World Water Day function
that in view of gigantic tasks in water sector for the next 50
years, it is necessary that special attention should be attributed
to the relative cost and time effectiveness of various structural
and non-structural options. She not only touched specific aspects
of water conservation and related issues, she laid stress on issues
which require political and administrative interventions.
In the Water Sector,
the Government has been able to evolve major consensus on National
Water Policy in spite of divergent views . The Nation Water Policy
– 2002 is very clear and explicit on conservation of water and
provides a launching pad for any reforms that may be required.
She hinted that this August Forum to identify specific aspects
of water conservation in agriculture and industry on which data
base and in-house capabilities are inadequate for in-depth technical
analysis and suggested actions for necessary reforms and institutional
restructuring and strengthening. She further said that Vision
for Integrated Water Resources Development and Management programme
brought out by the Ministry of Water Resources has clearly identified
certain time bound programme to be taken in phases upto the year
2017. These include water conservation through mass awareness
campaigns to be launched by the Governmental and non-governmental
agencies with particular emphasis on active collaboration with
the Ministries of Industries and Water budgeting. Stress has been
laid on the optimal use of water in agriculture adopting drip
and sprinkler irrigation in water scarce areas with suitable cropping
pattern and reducing and managing demand in agriculture and industry.
She categorically wanted Indian Water Resources Society (IWRS)
– one of the organizers of today’s function to take a lead to
initiate the process of deliberation on specific reforms and facilitate
formulation of draft amendments.
Smt. Radha Singh,
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources laid emphasis
on the participatory irrigation management and conservation of
water without further exploitation of fresh water by industries
and agriculture to mark the Fresh Water Year – 2003 in letter
and spirit. Dr. A. Sattar Yoosuf, Director, WHO; Mr. Rupert Talbot,
Sr. Advisor, UNICEF; and Mr. Feodor Starcevic, Director, UN Information
Centre took part in the deliberation of Water Resources Day and
World Water Day-2003. Message of the UN Secretary-General, Mr.
Kofi Annan, emphasising freshwater is essential for healthy eco-system,
for sustainable development and for human survival was read out.
The Executive Director, IWRS gave the vote of thanks.
