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OCTOBER 10-14, 2017

New Delhi | October 13, 2017

RiVeR inteRlinKing to ensuRe wateR, national secuRity Roll out pRoJects based on eXisting Knowledge base: panel

Even as the Union Government has given a big push to the interlinking of rivers programme, experts at

a panel discussion on ‘Interlinking of river’ have suggested that the proposed projects should be rolled out with the knowledge base already existing, taking a common-sense approach.

At the same time, the need for making the whole process of project implementation workable and taking up links in a time-bound manner was also stressed.

In the backdrop of the first project, the Ken-Betwa link, under the programme expected to be rolled out in coming months, the need for cooperation among various stakeholders including states

was felt considering that the programme would benefit the country as a whole.

Even though in-principle, the idea of interlinking of India’s rivers, has been welcomed and recognised by almost all stakeholders, experts have often pointed out that a strategic vision and action plan was missing from the national dialogue at the technical and political levels.

While experts at the panel discussion on October 12 urged taking up projects without waiting for all concrete outcomes in areas like e-flow of rivers and other environmental issues, they also stressed upon how hydro-diplomacy could emerge as a tool for sorting out aspects of international links of the projects.

The experts also discussed issues like Constitutional provisions and legal aspects including related Supreme Court judgements in interlinking projects.

The interlinking of rivers programme was envisaged to transfer waters from surplus river basins to deficit one for optimum utilisation of water resources effectively. The programme is expected to bring benefits like creation of additional irrigation potential, additional hydro-power generation, drinking water supply, flood control, drought mitigation and fishery production, among others.

The panel discussion, chaired by former Water Resources Secretary BN Navalawala, touched upon issues like

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Sustainable water management in agriculture and issues related to farm and watershed were taken up at a

seminar on October 12. As India’s demand for food grains grows, it needs more efforts to enhance agricultural production, necessitating efficient utilization of all agri-inputs, particularly water.

On the issue of food-water security, experts suggested taking up emerging challenges through adoption of an integrated approach. There was an urgent need to properly understanding vulnerability in the agriculture sector in the context of water resources. Improved institutions and capacity needs to be present as also more private sector participation and CSR initiatives.

Since agriculture management was a complex task, it needed require multiple institutions to work together.

A better institutional framework was, therefore, essential, said experts, adding that the most basic level, participatory irrigation management committee and WUA support units should be set up.

At the same time, farmers need to be educated and motivated to use fertilizer and water inputs efficiently at the farm level.

The high demand for water is also an opportunity to focus on use of inland brackish or saline water to supplement or replace use of limited fresh water resources, in addition to efficiency improvement to increase the irrigated area, said former CGWB chairman Dr RC Jain.

In addition, for meeting the increased domestic and industrial demand, the possibility of utilizing the brackish water resources, with appropriate management techniques need to be considered on priority to

relieve the pressure of limited fresh water resources, Jain added.

E Schmidt of the University of Southern Queensland, Australia gave an overview on how Australian policy and regulatory agenda had led to improved water use efficiency through water trading and pricing and irrigation modernization besides monitoring & benchmarking and training and technical support.

current status of various links and main issues and challenges in implementation and realisation of benefits. The panel also discussed future opportunities of work in the overall programme.

NWDA Director General S Masood Husain listed several challenges to interlinking projects, with lack of consensus amongst concerned states being the main cause as states surplus in water resources do not agree to such surpluses and some are challenging the very definition of ‘surplus basin’ agreed earlier.

“Some states have apprehension that link proposals may have an adverse effect on their existing irrigation and power requirements. Efforts are being made continuously for obtaining consensus amongst the concerned states”, said Husain.

Touching upon the international aspects in his presentation, Husain underlined that as main headworks (dam/barrage) of six main Himalayan link projects fall in Nepal and Bhutan, cooperation and

agreement with the neighbouring countries was essential for taking up projects under the Himalayan component.

On environmental concerns being raised in certain quarter, Husain said that much criticism of ILR projects was based on fears, apprehensions and pre-conceived notions and very little criticism was based on scientific study or reports.

The interlinking programme is critical in the context of ensuring water, food & energy security as well as national economical security, he said, adding that inter-basin water transfers were essential for equity in water distribution.

The panel was of the view that since ILR projects require large financial investments, there was a need to formulate an innovative and appropriate financing mechanism for them.

Rehabilitation & resettlement was an important issue to be tackled while undertaking ILR projects and there was a need to go beyond New Land Acquisition and R&R Act of 2013. It was felt by the panel that innovative and attractive R&R packages or policy for project affected persons (PAPs) should be formulated so that people themselves come forward and support the projects.

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‘SuStainable water management in agriculture needed’

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It has always been felt that India’s current water management practices are not specifically suited as yet to

address climate change. The country would need to prepare a comprehensive action plan to deal with climate change impact soon as the issue does not remain in the realm of speculative, academic endeavour any more.

A panel discussion on ‘Preparation for impact of climate change’ saw experts stressing on the need to not only undertake vulnerability assessments but also ensuring that adaptation measures were in place to deal with impact on the country’s water availability.

In his presentation on adaptation strategies for water resources, Professor Manohar Arora of the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee spoke about the complexity of the problem and climate change projects in the Indian context. Arora suggested that adaptive measures could include diversification of water resources, their added value, dialogues between various stakeholders and conflict management. Also, climate sensing planning, knowledge management and adaptive infrastructure needed to be in place, he added.

“India’s water situation is complex. Our policies, planning, projects and implementation strategies remain driven by supply-side mega solutions”, said Arora.

Among water adaptation options, diversification of water resources should be taken as it reduces the pressure on single sources and minimizes the risks of water supply systems not providing water of adequate quantity and quality, the panel felt.

Due to climate change, large scale negative impacts are seen on not only water-supply reliability, but in areas like flood risk, health, energy and aquatic ecosystems.

Other adaption practices suggested include developing a nation-wide climate monitoring programme while formulating new projects that influence climate. It should also be ensured that no action is

taken which causes irreversible harmful impact on the climate besides developing improved methods for accounting of climate-related uncertainty, which should be made part of the decision making process.

An integrated water resource development and management framework is required to be adopted, said experts.

In his key-note address, Professor AK Gosain of IIT-Delhi emphasised on the importance of climate change assessment of water resources in the country. Discussing the modelling outcome of Natcom-II for Ganga River basin, he underlined river basin management as a major outcome for better assessment and preparation of climate change on the water sector.

RMSI Pvt Ltd’s Dr Murari Lal, in his presentation on ‘Projected changes in monsoon rainfall over India’, spoke about how India’s crop productivity in rainfed states was strongly dependent on rainfall during a crop calendar. Climate change has the potential to change the seasonal monsoon rainfall distribution in homogeneous regions of India in the future, he said.

In her presentation, Meesha Tandon of Kalptaru Consultants gave an overview of projected impacts of climate change in India. There was likely to be an increase in average seasonal temperature (upto 30C for South India and and upto 4.50C for North India) in coming years as also

an increase in precipitation intensity as well as extreme precipitation by 5-10 per cent. The country was expected to face increasing level of food security concerns in the next 40 years and by 2100, nearly five per cent of India’s population might be subject to water scarcity.

Local level water sources and traditional rain water harvesting structures and systems have provided resilience over centuries, she said, adding that these sources have wide outreach and have been a part of the water supply systems. “With impacts of climate change likely to increase instances of floods and water scarcity in future, these structures and systems can be a potential source of water, especially for the vulnerable population”, Tandon added.

Dr Uttam Kumar Singh of RMSI talked about the assessment of possible impacts of climate change on flood risk in the Brahmani-Baitarini basin and how it there were major impacts of climate change over Indian water resources. His studies showed significant rise in total rainfall, maximum rainfall and on-day average rainfall besides maximum flood extent and flood volume.

The experts said that water frameworks directive in EU has proposed an integration of the basin level approach in planning and the Indian framework was also likely to follow the same approach, but needed a paradigm shift in regulations and enforcement.

‘Robust adaptation measuRes RequiRed to deal with climate change impact on wateR ResouRces’

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The India Water Week 2017 daily newsletter is independently produced by India Water Review/Xegent Consultants Pvt Ltd. www.indiawaterreview.in

euRopean union identifies iRbm, wateR use efficiency as focus aReas of coopeRation with india

The European Union is keen to enhance cooperation with India in several key areas including

integrated river basin management, auditing and raising water use efficiency in irrigation and improving India’s water datasets and knowledge base, it has emerged from a special session during the ongoing India Water Week-2017.

The India-EU Water Partnership (IEWP), already an established cooperation mechanism, is expected to be strengthened allowing several research and innovation institutions as well as companies from the EU region to bring their experiences and technological solutions to India, particularly in meeting the water-energy nexus challenges.

Last week, during the 14th Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the European Council President Donald Franciszek Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the two sides agreed to “further intensify” cooperation on addressing environmental challenges including water management.

In the special session on ‘Technology solutions for the water-energy nexus’ on Oct 11, it was decided that the cooperation between India and the European Union will focus on nine priorities over the next three years.

The cooperation will bring together the Union and state Governments in India, along with others including administrations, researchers, businesses and stakeholders with their European Union counterparts.

It was decided that under the focus area of integrated river basin management, river basins including the Tapi would be taken up and the EU will help India establish ecological

flow standards as well as standards and strategies for water usage across sectors.

EU will also help India in better groundwater management and promotion of solar pumping. India’s efforts on capacity building and research would also get strengthened by the cooperation.

The European Union presented several experiences of member countries in tackling some water challenges including river water management and pollution abatement. For instance, the French could help by sharing lessons learned from their river basin transfer experience in Morocco in areas like water governance and IWRM.

In context of sustainable river basin management, experiences and lessons learnt in integrated planning, ecological flows, water reuse, groundwater consumption and recharge were shared as also lessons to be learned from the

EU for cleaning the Ganga River. The Tagus estuary clean-up experience in the Tagus River was shared. It was felt that a robust water resources planning model for the entire Ganga basin was needed for holistic planning and its rejuvenation.

Some examples of how smart water technologies from the EU that have been applied in pilot projects in India for areas like water usage monitoring and measurement, efficient usage, water and wastewater treatment were also presented.

Areas like collaboration in research, innovation & technology between EU and Indian entities were also flagged. It was suggested that with enhancement of the cooperation, EU-based agencies could share some water governance and management models with the Indian states as well as city councils and help some of them tailoring water framework directive according to local needs.