Political Diary

New Delhi, 3 October 2023

Water Wars

HOW WILL INDIA QUENCH THIRST?

By Poonam I Kaushish 

Our first major climate catastrophe is at the doorstep: The search for water and its management has become the most harrowing task for 21st century India. Almost two-thirds of our reservoirs are running below normal water levels. Questionably, where will India get its water in coming years? Specially against the backdrop of multiple inter-State disputes over water-sharing.

Last week’s 31^ST North Zone Council comprising Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal and Union territories meet did just that wherein Union Home Minister Shah requested all States to resolve their inter-water disputes “with an open mind and mutual discussion.”

Currently, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are locked in separate water disputes. Punjab and Haryana spoke about “emotive” Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal which has been a bone of contention between them for several decades. While Punjab Chief Minister Mann strongly opposed sharing “even a single drop of the canal’s water as it has dried up and could lead to serious law and order issues. Instead, Ganga-Yamuna waters should be supplied to Punjab through Sutlej alongside setting up a new Tribunal as per new terms of reference.”

His Haryana counterpart Khattar, wanted completion of  SYL canal’s construction in Punjab as it would enable productive utilization of valuable water resources. He also emphasized importance of SYL as an alternative channel to the aging Nangal Hydel Channel.

Down South once again Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are locked in battle over sharing Cauvery waters, despite Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee’s direction to Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs water to its neighbour. Friday saw the State ‘shut’ by Bandh to oppose release of water to Tamil Nadu and plans to challenge the Committee’s ruling in Supreme Court. Notwithstanding, this dispute was resolved, but  of course, it is not.   

Pertinently, Sutlej and Cauvery are only tip of the iceberg. Inter-State disputes over water-sharing have grown over the years and become major politically volatile issues. More so, post bifurcation of big States, leading to inter-State political and legal battles wherein no State wants to release water to another. 

This at a time when 11 river basins including Ganga will be water deficit by 2025, threatening over billion lives with the challenge getting graver by 2050 as demand will rise to 1,180 million cubic metres, 1.65 times the current levels even as fresh water resources dwindle. Think, India has 18% of world's population but only 4% usable water, wastes more than it produces and spends billions on inane projects instead of focusing on water conservation.

Besides, instead of finding durable and sustainable solutions to the problem, the Centre has taken recourse to short-cuts and quick-fix remedies which have compounded the mess. leading to States taking independent action in brazen violation of tribunal awards.

Already, Centre is embroiled in sorting out water-sharing disputes between Andhra-Karnataka over Krishna waters, Maharashtra-Karnataka over Godavari, Goa-Karnataka over Mandel-Mandovi Basin and Madhya Pradesh-Gujarat over Narmada etc. Despite the Inter-State Waters Dispute Act 1956 setting up five tribunals to go into the matter.

Alongside, Parties rake up water issues for their political survival, failing to realize that our rivers are being over-exploited and increasingly polluted by being used as dumping grounds for industrial waste and garbage. Notwithstanding crores spent on them like Ganga-Yamuna and rural water schemes, wells are dry and women continue to trek long distances for water.

At other times, State interests override national concerns. Many States refuse to honour a tribunal award or rescind its agreement. Telengana has asked Centre to relook the River Krishna water-sharing award as it is being unfairly treated by Andhra, Maharashtra and Karnataka through which the river flows.

The Government’s solution? Look skywards to ward off the crisis, ignoring that due to global warming glaciers are melting rapidly. Questionably, where will India get its water in the coming years?

Realizing the gravity Modi perhaps can take a leaf out of Ambedkar plan to encourage a permanent solution between States: ‘Water sharing equity’ through a Constitutional mechanism by allocating autonomous governance rights to the Centre to ensure water sharing equity is met even in distressed years.

Happily, after years of foot-dragging India will begin work on an $87 billion plan to connect some big rivers to end floods and droughts. As States which were not flood-prone are now witnessing calamity and those which flooded, the situation has deteriorated. All thanks to accumulation of silt in huge quantities in rivers.

Proponents of rivers interlinking projects claim this would end our water misery as it would help conserve abundant monsoon water, store it in reservoirs, deliver it using rivers inter-linking projects to areas which are water scarce and facilitate navigation and fish farming to broaden income in rural areas.

Further, the surplus flood waters from Brahmaputra Mahanadi, Ganga and Godavari could be diverted through a network of canals and dams to water deficient rivers in south India. This would help boost agricultural production, increase forest cover and bring down pollution.

Already, six intra-State river linking schemes, including Sujalam Sufalam, Sabarmati-Saraswati and Bhadar-Mahi links have started yielding positive results and mitigated potable and irrigation water woes in several parched and drought-prone areas in north and central Gujarat, increased greenery and improved the environment.

True, inter-linking of rivers is not a panacea for all issues as water cannot be created, manufactured in a factory nor imported like oil. Therefore, management of available water resources becomes vital for catering to a growing population and changing lifestyle.

Experts hold setting up tribunals for every dispute does not lead to lasting solutions. Whereby, dispute resolution operates on permanent ad-hocism, in some fights “formulas” themselves cause further disagreement. While tribunals largely follow international norms and practices namely, equitable, reasonable water utilization and mutual benefit but these have little legal backing. Consequently, when States challenge these, the legal tangle enlarges the fight and delays resolution.

Add to it erratic and variable rainfall, rapidly depleting groundwater, land-use modifications and water-intensive cropping patterns are intensifying river quarrels as the existing Inter-State River Water Disputes Act 1956 depends on tribunals as its main dispute resolution body and the Supreme Court abjudicates on orders by various tribunals. Confessed Modi, only 8% rainwater gets saved in the country.

Pertinently, the Lok Sabha passed the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill 2017 which included a permanent river water disputes tribunal and a mediation committee. But its implementation mechanism is still to be worked out. Resulting in States thwarting it or move court on tribunal’s orders.

But, the problem is deeper than just demand and supply of water, it’s about our broken relationship with water. Clearly, without urgently prioritizing a legislative framework that gives tribunals teeth, bickering between States will continue, benefiting none.

The need of the hour is a pragmatic competence and mission mode mindset wherein the long term focus should be on local water management, restoring local wetlands and water bodies, water re-use through systematic dual plumbing,

Time now for the Centre to treat water as a national asset and go for durable long term solutions which needs national planning geared for local solutions. Else, India will face a severe water crisis soon and have no water for its growing economy and people. Our leaders need to stop  Zabaani jama khurch as it won’t slake India’s growing thirst. Remember, water is not State property, it belongs to all! ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)