Other States - Rajasthan   

CII tips to tackle drought

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, AUG. 8 . The Confederation of Indian Industry has suggested to the Rajasthan Government the scrapping of the schemes that facilitate subsidized power supply to irrigation pump sets in order to reduce the water use in the wake of a looming drought situation in the State. Simultaneously it has suggested a waiver of interest on farmers' loans and conversion of the short term loans to long term ones.

CII, in a paper presented to the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje on "How to tackle drought'', has stressed on water conservation, recycling of water and severe punishment to those wasting the precious commodity. The water supply, in emergency situation, could be suspended in various regions for specific time frame on a rotational basis. Wherever applicable, water supplies to car washes, saunas and swimming pools could be suspended, it said.

There could be a quota system to control the use of water as water usage exceeding the quota could be charged at a higher rate, the CII paper suggested. The Government should launch a programme to provide water efficient flushes in toilets, replacing the existing 15-litre flushes with six-litre flushes. All major water consuming units, including government agencies, military units, schools and hotels should be directed to slash their water consumption by 20 per cent.

The trade body also sought the introduction of food for work programmes, constitution of a task force to monitor the drought relief, banning of export of fodder and opening of "gaushalas''.

As short term measures to tackle drought, CII has recommended the cultivation of short duration paddy and irrigated dry crops, besides subsidizing the seeds by 50 per cent. Employment affirmation programmes should be launched with the Central assistance, it said.

Facilities for storage of rainwater, incentives for re-use of recycled waste water and allocation of funds for treatment of polluted rivers as well as sewerages in the area have been recommended. The paper noted that in many countries reclaimed urban wastewater was a secondary water source.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• CII tips to tackle drought

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu