Expert calls for optimum utilisation of freshwater resources

Ahmedabad, May 8 (UNI) Noted technocrat Radhey Shyam Goel has called for optimum utilisation of fresh water resources through intra-basin or inter-basin transfer to meet the country's bulging demand.

Delivering the keynote address at a seminar on ''Water, Culture, Religion and Citizens'', which concluded here today, he said that 70 per cent of India's utilisable potential drains into the sea due to inter-state disputes and obstacles due to activism by ''self-styled anti-dam activists''.

India's total water storage capacity (combined capacity of all dams) now stamds at 174 cu km, as against utilisable capacity of 690 cu km out of 1,669 cu km surface water resources, which is less than 180.6 cu km capacity of Kariba Dam on Zambia-Zimbabwe border and marginally more than 162 cu km of Aswan High Dam in Egypt.

Mr Goel, who has masters degree in engineering, social science and environment law with over 40 years experience in the field, said that India has to support 15 per cent of the world's population, with 2 per cent of the total land and 4 per cent of water supply.

India's water availability at 1,900 cu m per capita per year is lower than China's 2,200, USA 12,000, Russia 29,000, Brazil 48,000 and Canada 110,000 cu m per capita per year, he said.

Quoting the landmark Supreme Court judgement of 2000, Mr Goel said that there should be environmental concern for not only the area coming under submergence but also the surrounding area. It is imperative to complete ongoing projects and taking up new projects to increase the country's water availability.

The two-day seminar was organised by Church of North India (CNI) jointly with Indian Water Resources Society and Central Water Commission.

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