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Naveen announces new water policy

Special Correspondent

It envisages equitable, judicious use of the precious liquid

BHUBANESWAR: A new water policy that aims at ensuring equitable and judicious use of water for survival of life, welfare of human beings and sustained as well as balanced growth of Orissa was unveiled by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday.

Among other things, the policy stated that under the participatory irrigation management the State shall develop a time-bound programme for transfer of operation and management of all irrigation projects to farmers' organisations (Pani Panchayats). The State shall, however, continue to provide necessary support to these institutions for their capacity building and also by financial assistance as a proportion of water rates collected, the policy said.

Periodic evaluation

Periodic independent evaluations would be conducted to assess the impact of the participatory irrigation management, and suitable measures would be taken on the basis of lessons learnt.

The Water and Land Management Institution (WALMI) would be strengthened to act as a centre for excellence for PIM activities. Knowledge and experience sharing with similar institutions in the country and abroad would be encouraged. The policy further said that in suitable projects, the State would introduce irrigation management transfer (IMT). This would, however, be done basing on the capacity of the Pani Panchayats to shoulder the responsibility of management of the projects.

Creation of necessary infrastructure would continue to remain in the domain of public investment. There would be differential water rates for different categories of uses, the policy added.

The policy said that the cost of operation and management would be fully recovered from the beneficiaries. Norms would be established for ensuring water rights commensurate with water rates.

Regulatory authority

The State would explore the possibility of setting up of a regulatory authority for fixing water rates in order to achieve full cost recovery of the operation and management charges.

"In case there is any public-private participation in water resources development, care will be taken to ensure that the riparian and traditional rights of the local communities are adequately protected. Prior consultation with Panchayati Raj institutions/communities will be mandatory," the policy said.

It also said that polluters of water would be made to pay so that adequate measures could be taken for pollution mitigation. Pollution beyond a threshold would not be permissible.

The release of the policy, which replaced the earlier policy the State had formulated way back in 1994, coincided with the World Water Day. Several organisations that worked for conservation of water were felicitated on the occasion.

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