Check over exploitation of water resources says Saifuddin Soz

New Delhi, June 19 : Union Minister for Water Resources Prof. Saifuddin Soz has said that it was necessary to adopt immediate remedial measures to check the adverse effects of over-exploitation of water resources.

He said, "In certain areas, ground water exploitation has resulted in lowering of ground water table."

Delivering inaugural address at the International Conference on "Global Water Solutions; Sharing Innovations" here today, the Minister said that the Government of India encourage measures to recharge ground water.

He said improving the efficiency of the water resources facilities and ensuring optimum benefits were another important areas of concern. Adoption of latest technologies, both at macro and micro level are necessary to ensure the optimum and efficient use of water.

He said due emphasis had to be given to measures like irrigation, rain water harvesting, and ground water recharge and desalination, apart from measures for improving the efficiency of larger water facilities.

The Minister said that for achieving the objective of sustainable development of resources and facilities, it was necessary that users and stakeholders are actively associated.

Management of Water Resources from diverse uses must incorporate a participatory approach by involving not only the various Governmental agencies but also the users and stakeholders in an effective and decisive manner in various aspects of planning, design, development and management of water resources schemes.

The local needs of the people have to be appropriately addressed with equitable distribution of resources to all the stakeholders, he added.

The Minister informed that the Government has already taken initiatives to empower the Panchayati Raj Institutions and the process of formation of Water Users Associations (WUAs) has also started and considerable progress has been reported form some of the states in this direction.

Prof. Soz emphasised that the planning for development and management should aim at most efficient use of each and every drop of water and we must harvest every drop of water.

He said that the National Water Policy states that all available water resources should be brought within the category of utilizable resources to the maximum possible extent and non-conventional methods for utilization of water such as through inter-basin transfers, artificial recharge of ground water and desalination of brackish or sea water as well as traditional water conservation practices like rain water harvesting including roof-top rainwater harvesting, need to be practiced to further increase the utilizable water resources.

He reiterated that the water has very important in our life and is required for various purposes like domestic and municipal needs, irrigation, hydro-power generation, navigation and industrial uses.

The Minister expressed his concern on the deteriorating quality of water, as a result of the use of pesticides and disposal of industrial wastes.

ANI