Proper recharge and management of ground water needed: Soz

New Delhi, Aug 26 (UNI) Union Minister for Water Resources Saifuddin Soz today said there is a need to focus the attention on proper recharge and management of ground water for achieving a balanced development of surface and ground water sources.

Addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of his ministry on the theme 'Development and Management of Ground Water', the Union Minister said the ground water played an important role in the water requirements for agriculture, industrial and domestic sectors. The stress was on paying special attention to conservation and re-charge of ground water resources in the country.

In view of the diminishing fresh water resources and the increasing demand, it has become essential to properly manage ground water resources according due priorities on conservation and recharge aspects, he said.

He also emphasised on the need to adopt a pro-active and pragmatic approach to ensure further development of ground water in a sustainable manner. Rain water harvesting and artificial recharge of ground water are useful management tools for augmenting overall water availability.

Prpf Soz informed the MPs that the Central Ground Water Authority had notified 43 areas for regulation of Ground Water Development and Management and had also asked 65 areas for registration where tube-wells existed.

He also said the next second National Ground Water Congress would be organised shortly in which farmers participatory action research programme, effect of climate change and ground water quality issues will be discussed.

Prof Soz said to enable the states to enact Ground Water Legislation, a Model Bill to regulate and control the development and management of ground water has been circulated by the Ministry of Water Resources to all the states/UTs. Most states had taken action for enacting necessary legislation providing teenth for Central Ground Water Authority and by strengthening it organisationally and technically.

The minister said the Ground Water Advisory Council had been constituted under the chairmanship of the Water Resources Minister to popularise the concepts of artificial recharge among stakeholders. The Advisory Council had so far held two meetings and some important decisions had been taken. Measures were also underway for repair and renovation of water-bodies in the country.

Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources U N Panjyar and other top officials were present in the meeting. The MPs who attended the meeting were S P Y Reddy, Prasanta Pradhan, K Subbarayan, Sitaram Singh, Hiten Barman, Pratik Prakashbapu Patil, Abu Ayes Mondal (all from Lok Sabha) and Dr Gyan Prakash Pilania (Rajya Sabha).

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