While stressing that water scarcity affects individuals, businesses and the national economy, the Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that water is central to poverty alleviation and citizen empowerment, and that better water governance is a shared enterprise between all stakeholders – citizens, governments, civil society and industry.
Stating that Water management systems have traditionally reflected existing socio-economic structures and governance mechanisms, he added that the key challenges to water management today stem from changing demographics, shifting geo-politics, wide-spread poverty and under-development, climate change phenomena and shifting weather patterns, and the elements of globalization and its attendant consequences. He has said that those formulating public policy regarding this vital resource must therefore cater to essential requirement and ensure sustainability of eco systems so that there is availability of adequate water for every one. Prevention of greed, of waste and of conspicuous consumption must remain high on their agenda.
Lamenting at the picture of water security across the country as being indeed one of major concern, he said: “Water availability and water quality issues plague the majority of citizens in both rural and urban areas. Gross irrigated area is not rising commensurate with our huge investments, with a big gap between potential created for irrigation and potential that is actually utilized. The problem of floods has been exacerbated due to degradation of catchment areas and loss of flood plains to urban development and agriculture. Water conflict has taken new forms with more menacing consequences.”
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hri Ansari also said that Water stress and scarcity would have a significant impact on the prospects of Indian companies operating in various sectors including agriculture and agro-industry, irrigation, mining, pulp and paper, iron and steel, and power generation. Regulators, investors and citizens alike must demand corporate water disclosure, including plans and policies for water consumption, use and disposal and whether environmental concerns have been addressed.
The ground reality of the water situation in India was further elaborated by Shri Salman Khurshid, Hon’ble Union Minister of Water Resources. Taking off from where Shri Ansari left, the Hon’ble Minister too ‘emphasized the need to understand that water is a natural resource for all and is essential for economic development. Demand for water is bound to increase, therefore it is important to develop the resource in a sustainable manner since we cannot create more water that what Mother Nature has provided us but can manage water optimally to mitigate the impact of inadequate availability of water’. He further added, ‘the need for a fast and immediate action and spoke about the five goals identified by the National Water Mission’, which include: Preparation of a comprehensive water data base in public domain; Promotion of citizen and state actions for water conservation, augmentation and conservation; Increase water use efficiency by 20%; Focus attention of vulnerable areas; and Promotion of basin level integrated water resource management.
[Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari and Union Minister of Water Resources Shri Salman Khursheed spoke at a conference organized by TERI in New Delhi on 13 April 2011.]
