Higher water consumption should attract higher pricing

New Delhi, Nov 16 (UNI) The 12th National Symposium on Hydrology on 'Groundwater Governance: Ownership of Groundwater and its Pricing' avoided the issue of determining pricing of ground water but said higher consumption should attract higher prices.

In the 24 recommendations accepted by the symposium participated by water experts said that it was difficult to price or regulate a resource as ownership rights were not clearly defined.

''It is difficult to prescribe the pricing as one of the tools for better ground water management. The ownership of ground water should be given to the state government through an amendment in the Constitution.

However, a regulatory mechanism has to be evolved for introducing the slab system of pricing ground water for different uses.

The economically weaker section of the society and small farmers can be charged at subsidised rates under the slab system while big users can be priced accordingly. Higher the consumption, higher should be the cost, the resolution said after a two day deliberations.

The symposium was jointly organised by the Central Ground Water Board and Ministry of Water Resources.

The meet called for a clear cut demarcation between ownership and right to use resources by enacting laws. The question of land owners and landless needs to be addressed within the legal framework taking into account of principles of access, justice and social equity.

Touching upon contentious issue involving the states, the symposium said that the National Water Policy needed suitable modification to evolve appropriate policy for ground water for each state.

Planning of ground water resource should be based on 'hydrological boundaries' rather than administrative boundaries and states sharing common aquifers should develop a regional approach to water ownership to ensure equity, it said.

The high ground water consuming industries should be located in areas with high potential ground water. The research and development activity should be undertaken with more integrated, multi-disciplinary and sustainable approach including the utilisation of saline ground water.

Information gathering and resource planning should be based on systematic scientific research. The role of the government should shift as facilitator for rain water harvesting and artificial recharge involving participation of stake holders from the role of a provider and a financier, the symposium recommended.

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