Expert slams groundwater policy on eve of first National Congres

New Delhi, Sep 10 (UNI) The government policies on ground water have come in for a sharp attack by an environmentalist on the eve of the first National Groundwater Congress that opens here tomorrow.

He says as much as 80 per cent of the water resources budget for the 11th Plan was going for big dams despite the government itself admitting that ground water was the country's lifeline.

''That cannot help sustain the lifeline. In fact in many cases the big dams are reasons for the crisis. This is sure an invitation for bigger trouble,'' says environmentalist Himanshu Thakkar.

In his view, the local water systems, wetlands, forests, floodplains and rivers are facing systematic destruction in the name of development and at best only lip service was being paid for their conservation.

As much as 85 per cent of rural water supply comes from groundwater sources, which also meet more than half of the urban and industrial water needs.

At least two-thirds of irrigated area foodgrains production comes from groundwater irrigated lands, and 80 per cent of additional irrigated areas in last two decades have come from groundwater sources.

All these figures come from the government documents. The existing groundwater recharging systems listed above help sustain the groundwater lifeline and their systematic destruction is one of the reasons for falling groundwater tables.

According to Mr Thakkar, it was a wrong perception that exploitation was mainly responsible for groundwater crisis. If the destruction of existing groundwater recharging systems is stopped, the situation would certainly be better, he feels.

In fact, the work of the Tarun Bharat Sangh and many such efforts in different parts of the country have shown that when local water systems are rejuvenated, the decline in groundwater levels can be reversed even in arid areas like Rajasthan.

Scientists have repeatedly said that even to address the issues like the Arsenic contamination of groundwater, rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging was the best option. But there is no policy for stopping the destruction of existing systems of groundwater recharge.

''We need dramatic, fundamental changes in the way we approach water resources. As the World Bank said two years ago there is dangerous all round complacency about groundwater.'' ''Our understanding of science of groundwater aquifers and use of that scientific understanding in groundwater management needs to improve. Use of water saving techniques like the System of Rice Intensification needs to be given more serious attention as it has big potential in reducing groundwater use. The National Ground Water Congress provides an opportunity to address these issues,'' said Mr Thakkar.

UNI