Montek Singh Ahluwalia

NEW DELHI: Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Tuesday urged the Water Resources Ministry to build a consensus on levying cess on ground water extraction to address the problem of overuse and scarcity of ground water. The resources generated from the cess could be utilised for recharging ground water. At present, the State Pollution Control Boards levy a nominal cess on industrial units extracting groundwater, he said.

For this an Expert Group, headed by Planning Commission member Kirit Parikh, had been set up. The Group would give its report on a ground water policy and feasibility of inclusion of groundwater on the Concurrent List within two months. It would be included in the Approach Paper to the Eleventh Plan.

While suggesting that a fresh look be taken on the need to bring about changes in the legal framework, Mr. Ahluwalia called for a review of laws governing ownership of groundwater on private land. This means that the ownership of a well in a farmer's field need not be with the farmer. The suggestion was in line with a recommendation made by the World Bank in its study of the water issues in India a few years ago.

Inaugurating the 12th National Symposium on Hydrology on "Ground Water Governance: Ownership of Ground Water and its Pricing," he stressed the need for amendment to the laws governing the ownership of water as, from a position of surplus, the country was heading towards water-stress condition. "It is, therefore, imperative to have national consensus on the strategy for optimum utilisation of ground water."

Water-recharging activities should be made mandatory among the industrial units. "At present, the total per capita available of groundwater is above the level of water stress but in 20 years we will become water stressed. The nine per cent growth rate target and the 10-11 per cent growth in industry in the next five years will see further increase in ground water exploitation," Mr. Ahluwalia said.

The two-day symposium has been organised jointly by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee, under the aegis of the Indian National Committee on Hydrology.

In his presidential address, Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz also stressed the need for regulation and management of ground water. A Comprehensive Model Ground Water Bill had been circulated to States for their concurrence, he said.

Exploitation

He expressed concern at the exploitation of ground water by a large number of well owners engaged in ground water irrigation based on their private and entrepreneurial initiatives. The overall development of ground water was only 58 per cent. Of 5,723 units in the country, 839 units had been declared over-exploited and on the threshold of danger-levels.

The Minister suggested that a high-level group be set up to assess the institutional and financial requirement of the States to meet the challenges of ground water governance.

"In an era of privatisation, there is growing need for public-private partnership to resolve the issue of ground water governance."

Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Narain Yadav drew attention to the problems of over-exploitation of ground water including salinity, pollution and quality of water.

Mr. Ahluwalia released the "Proceedings of Symposium" and Mr. Soz released a "Watershed Atlas."

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