Telangana, Maharashtra sign pact for irrigation projects across Godavari

Bringing an end to their dispute, the Telangana and Maharashtra governments have finally signed a historic pact for the construction of three barrages on the Godavari river and its tributaries--Penganga and Pranahita. The first agreement is for the construction of the barrage at Medigadda by the Telangana government that will help irrigate 18.19 lakh acres of land in six districts. Under the second agreement, the Tummadihatti barrage will be built on Pranahita while the Chanaka-Korata barrage will be built on Penganga river under the third agreement.

Why no progress on river zone regulations? Environmentalists asks government

It has been nearly seven months since the draft policy on the river zone regulation was sent to all the states for comments and suggestion, but only a few have responded. The policy that was drafted in 2002, received a boost following the June 2013 floods in Uttarakhand and was finally sent to all the states on January 8, 2016. However, the comments have been received only from a few states and that too in opposition to the proposed policy that seeks to prohibit or regulate developmental activities on riverfronts and floodplains.

NGT slaps a fine of Rs 9.26 crore to Alaknanda hydro corporation

The National Green Tribunal has ordered the Alaknanda Hydro Power Co. Ltd. to pay Rs 9.26 crore as compensation to the affected people for irresponsible muck disposal which was flowing during the floods in Uttarakhand in June 2013. As per the claims, the power firm had dumped large amount of muck around its 330MW Srinagar Hydroelectric Project site without proper precautionary measures. However, the power firm has reiterated that it was the cloudburst that has caused the Alaknanda river to change its course and overflow which led to the disbursement of muck in the region. 

Tamil Nadu opposes dam proposed by Kerala across Siruvani river

Claiming to get no response from the Tamil Nadu government on Kerala’s proposal to build a gravity dam across Siruvani river, a sub-tributary of the Cauvery river, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) has recommended a grant of standard Terms of Reference for the project. However, as per the TN Government, who is strongly opposing the project, the environment ministry has written no letter about the proposal. The TN chief minister has requestedprime minister Narendra Modi to intervene and withdraw the EAC’s recommendations.

Notice to Gurgaon civic body for damaging Aravalli area

The forest department has issued notice to the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon on damaging the flora and fauna of the Aravalli forest areas by the leachate flowing from Bandhwari waste treatment. Apart from the forest region, the leachate is also polluting the groundwater of Gurgaon as it is interlinked with the Aravalli aquifer. However, as per the MCG official, the Bandhwari waste treatment site gets cleaned twice every month, but this month, the cleaning was not done because of the monsoon.

This is a roundup of important policy matters from August 22 - 28, 2016. Also read last week's news roundup.

Farakka behind Bihar flood: CM

This year, Bihar witnessed one of its worst floods in four decades and has already claimed 156 lives and affected nearly five lakh people across 12 districts in the state. Chief minister Nitish Kumar has held Farakka dam responsible for the floods as it has caused heavy siltation of the Ganga river. He says this causes slow discharge of water that leads to spread of floodwaters to other areas. He has also appealed to the Centre to come up with a policy on silt management and re-evaluate the need of the barrage.

Polavaram project might hit roadblock

A team of experts from the water ministry has released a report on the way the Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project is being executed by the Andhra government. As per the report, the execution of the project, declared as the national project, is not sound and safe under any parameters. The execution of the project shall be done by the Centre according to the AP Reorganization Act, 2014. The state government, however, is not handing over the project to the Centre and has been going ahead with its execution for the last two years.

Rainfall reduced in Ganga basin and northeast India due to deforestation: IIT Bombay 

Deforestation in the northeast and the north-central India has resulted in 100-200mm reduction in summer rainfall in these regions, concludes the study conducted by IIT Bombay researchers. Going by the study, large-scale conversion of forest land to crop land has led to 20 percent reduction in green cover in the core monsoon zone. However, the effect on monsoon in the peninsular India is not visible as the recycled precipitation component is less compared with oceanic contribution, in contrast to the Ganga basin and north east India where the recycled precipitation component is too high.

Gujarat government to launch the SAUNI scheme

To bring an end to the water crisis of the parched Saurashtra, the state government has planned to fill 115 dams of the region with excess water from the Sardar Sarovar dam under the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation Yojna (SAUNI). The four-phased project, worth Rs 1200 crore, will be launched on August 30. During monsoon, nearly three million acre feet (MAFt) water overflows from the Sardar Sarovar dam and flows into sea, but with the SAUNI scheme coming up, the government plans to transfer one MAFt excess water to the dams of Saurashtra.

Over 12,000 water sources dried up in Uttarakhand in last decade: Study

According to the recent study conducted in Nainital and Mussorrie hills, more than 12,000 natural water sources have dried up in the state in the last decade. Lack of required forestation and increased urbanisation is to be blamed for this. The report has mentioned that the Nainital lake received low volume of water due to encroachment in the Sukhtal catchment region and the lake catering to the residential needs. In the Mussoorie hills, the small water sources have dried.

This is a roundup of important news updates from August 22 - 28, 2016. Also read last week's policy matters update.

The demand, supply, availability and access of water resources do not always match. Going by the UN estimates, by the year 2050, India will be supporting a population of 300 million. As the population increases, the demand for freshwater goes up; with increased usage, the quantum of waste produced increases as well. Changes in land-use patterns, climatic variabilities and diminished efficiency to use resources only strain the available reserves further.

The last 50 years have witnessed the rapid dwindling of per capita availability of freshwater resources--from 3,000 cubic metres to 1,123 cubic metres. The Central Water Commission pegs the overall demand for water in India at 1,180 billion cubic metres in 2050.

Over 60 percent of agriculture and 85 percent of the country’s drinking water supply are groundwater-driven. With groundwater getting depleted, wastewater—from both industries and households—if treated well, can play a crucial role in taking care of a portion of the country’s water needs. 

In his book Self-reliance in water, urban environmentalist Indukanth Ragade mentions that though the quality of grey water generated at homes and industries are not comparable, both can be recycled and reused. “The nomenclature needs to be changed. Stop calling it wastewater. Used water is a more appropriate word,” he asserts.

The central government has laid down strict zero-discharge norms for industries to ensure maximum recovery of reusable water and minimise discharge of pollutants into the environment.

Using municipal or industrial wastewater for irrigating fields is not new in India. Given that fresh water is a luxury in most parts of India, it is only natural that the farmers are drawn towards wastewater. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has documented cases where wastewater has been auctioned for agricultural use in Gujarat.

Constructing wetlands to treat wastewater is a proven technology in the West. Wetlands are of two types--the ones which allow water to flow over the surface (free flow) and those which treat them underground (sub-surface). A series of physico-chemical and biological reactions of plants and micro-organisms like algae and bacteria to help recycle nutrients in wastewater form the core of the constructed wetland treatment technology.

Photosynthesis by algae helps improve the dissolved oxygen content of the water. Vascular plants like typha and canna absorb nutrients from the water, incorporating them into the plant tissue. By doing so, they also provide a substratum for micro-organisms to thrive on. Once this system settle, diffuse, break down and uptake the nutrient, the water exiting the system is stripped off most of its organic and inorganic load.

India-EU collaboration for waste

In one of the largest scientific collaborations between the European Union and India, the Water4Crops project--launched simultaneously in both places in 2012--aims to work out ways to biotechnologically treat and divert industrial and municipal wastewater for agricultural reuse. Agricultural universities and research institutions, along with agri-business industrial partners from the EU and India are involved in developing efficient models for biotechnological wastewater treatment and improved usage of recycled water. The Indian component is funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.

“Most European countries thrive on surface water which is available in plenty. Recycled water is mainly for watering lawns, gardening and the likes. India is both water and nutrient scarce. As recycled grey water remains relatively nutrient-rich, it gives us the survival advantage and not just a scenic one,” remarks Dr Suhas P. Wani, director, The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) development centre and scientific coordinator for the Indian component of the Water4Crops project.

The scientific planning process took into account the quality of incoming wastewater and pollutant profiles so as to come up with appropriate designs to remove specific contaminants and make wastewater irrigation friendly. “The aim is to demonstrate technologies that ensure safe water for agriculture. Only when people see something functioning well will they be motivated to set up treatment systems on their own,” adds Wani.

Sugar processing and distillery industries joined hands with the Indian consortium’s research partners to improve their wastewater treatment efficiency while the primary concern for municipalities and panchayats was to manage their liquid waste properly to ensure overall cleanliness and hygiene. Demonstration units now operate across 30 sites; 27 sites are dedicated to showcasing domestic wastewater treatment technology and three are for industrial refuse.

Polluting sugar

The sugar industry is one of the country’s most advanced agro-based industries and is also one of the most polluting. With its high organic and inorganic load, effluents from sugar industries and distilleries, if not properly treated and disposed of, can wreak havoc on both surface and groundwater.

“Close to 3.2 million cubic metres of water is being used on a daily basis by the country’s 550-odd sugar industries,” says principal scientist from the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Dr J. D. Sophia. The process also generates 0.6 million cubic metres of effluent daily. Along with Sophia, a team of scientists from the MSSRF has been working for over two years at one of the Water4Crops’ industrial collaborator’s production facility--KCP Sugar in Lakshmipuram, Andhra Pradesh. While the factory has the infrastructure for the primary treatment of raw industrial wastewater, the water is still not fit for direct agricultural use. Farmers have been using this for cultivating sugarcane and paddy during summer months when there is a break in water supply from the Krishna barrage.

Constructing wetlands to treat wastewater

The MSSRF team designed a five-chambered wetland to polish off the primary treated sugar-processing wastewater to ensure its suitability for irrigation. Depending on the incoming water quality, retention time in the wetland is calculated to ensure increased treatment efficiency. Locally-consumed fish varieties such as catla and rohu are reared in the tanks that hold the recycled water which is periodically drained into surrounding fields. Farmers report substantial reduction in fertiliser use as the treated water is rich in nitrates and potassium (the N and K of the common three-component NPK fertilisers) and also an improvement in the weight of both cane and juice.

Due to its higher organic load, the process for treating distillery waste is slightly different. A four-stage sequential treatment process involving bacteria, algae, activated charcoal and planted soil bed has been put in place at KCP’s Vuyyuru distillery to polish anaerobically pre-treated effluents. “The system functions purely because of the sequence. If the algae are placed ahead in the sequence or the bacterial culture is pushed towards the end, the system will collapse,” explains Sophia. 

Tests reveal an 89.7 percent drop in biological oxygen demand (BOD) and a 61 percent reduction in total dissolved solids (TDS), indicating a marked improvement in the water quality. The treated water has been used for cultivating sweet corn in nearby fields.

Seeing is believing

As the quality and pollutant profile are completely different from the industries, the media for filtration (the type and quantity of gravel used) and design specifications differ for treating domestic waste. Care has been was taken to ensure that the systems were low-tech, affordable and simple to ensure long-term sustainability. Artificial wetlands were constructed at one or two sites in a village manned and maintained by local self-help group (SHG) members.

Tests in Telangana’s Kothapally village reveal the system’s satisfactory functioning--chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction of 65 percent have been observed, indicating a decrease in pollutants along with an 87 percent pathogen-removal efficiency. “Though the objective and the design varied, our singular goal was to demonstrate affordable technology for people to observe and learn. Seeing is believing,” remarks Wani.

Improvement in local village hygiene is open for everyone to see. Representatives from neighbouring panchayats have been visiting demonstration sites, looking to replicate these systems in their villages. Impressed by the results, the DBT has given in-principle approval for the project’s second phase. The government is also keen to make this an integral part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to ensure grey-water recycling spreads far and wide.

“Knowledge gained in labs often gets lost in transit before they reach the farms. It has not happened here so far and we hope to keep it that way,” says Wani. As a critically water-starved nation, we hope so, too.

The Mahanadi is the lifeline of the people of both Chhattisgarh and Odisha, as it the most important water source for the farmers and other citizens of both these states to meet their domestic and livelihood needs. Over the last few months, some of the political parties in both the states have been trying to create a situation of dispute and conflict over sharing of the Mahanadi waters. Against this background many academics and civil society activists from all over India and different people’s organisations from both Chhattisgarh and Odisha met in a day-long meeting at Vrindavan hall in Raipur on 11 August 2016 to discuss the basic issues and principles of water use and allocations and also the emerging political landscape around the Mahanadi basin. Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India (Forum to be brief) organised the meeting, and presented data and insights emerging from its research in the Mahanadi basin over the last three years. At the end of the discussions, the people’s organizations of both the states decided to organize a ‘Mahanadi Bachao Yatra’ to save the river.

During the meeting, people from both the states expressed deep concerns about the unnecessary tensions that are being created by the political parties in both the states over rights on the Mahanadi waters. In fact, all the participants strongly felt that the inter-state issue is being raked up by these political parties to divert people’s attention from the basic issue. The basic issue is that both the state governments are looking at the Mahanadi as a resource to benefit the industries and this is completely against the interests of the farmers and the people. The critical question in the context of this dispute is why the political parties of both the states are not concerned about the original form of the river and environmental flow when it is increasingly becoming clear that the water flow in the river is steadily decreasing. With continuous interventions in the river in the form of dams and barrages, the river's original character is being destroyed. The other critical issue is about inter-sectoral water allocations and use. While both the state governments are determined to increase the water allocation to industries they do not seem to be concerned about making water available to agriculture and to meet basic domestic water needs. This pro-industry policy becomes all the more clear as there is no provision for water for agriculture in seven barrages in Chhattisgarh. Similarly, increasingly more and more water is being allocated for industrial use from the Hirakud dam and its downstream delta region. This is also destroying the livelihoods of both the river bed cultivators as well as the fishermen. The third important issue is the rising pollution in the river affecting the drinking water, water for irrigation and the aquatic life. The meeting discussed in detail issues related to agriculture and industrial water allocation and use, environmental flows, water pollution and groundwater use in the basin.

Joint statement and demands of people’s organisations of Chhattisgarh and Odisha

The people’s organisations from both Chhattisgarh and Odisha, taking a common stand, decided to oppose the rising politicisation of Mahanadi waters. The real issue is not one of Chhattisgarh Vs Odisha, but one of protecting the original natural conditions of the river and the environmental flows. The time has come for the state governments and the political parties to make clear policy around water use that prioritise and privilege the water use for domestic needs and for agriculture and also to come up witha river policy. The people’s organizations present in the meeting demand that:

1. Do not create misunderstanding amongst the people of Chhattisgarh and Odisha on the issue of Mahanadi waters and put an immediate stop to the dispute

2. Prepare a very clear and transparent policy on the water use of the river by taking the local communities into confidence

3. Prior to construction of any more dams and barrages on the river, undertake a comprehensive study to ensure that the new structures would not affect both the basic character of the river and flow in the river

4. Put an immediate stop to the present illegal industrial water use from the river

5. Put an immediate stop to the water pollution caused by industries and cancel the environmental clearance given to such polluting industries 

Prafulla Samantara, Lingaraj Bhai, Saroj Mohanty, Sudarshan Das (all from Odisha), Anand Mishra, Nandkumar Kashyap, Lalit Surjan, Lakhan Singh, Parivesh Mishra, Alok Shukla (all from Chhattisgarh), Shripad Dharmadhikary, K. J. Joy, Himanshu Kulkarni, Manoj Misra, Nafisa Barot, Partha Das, Abraham Samuel and Eklavya Prasad (all from Forum) along with many others form the two states participated in the meeting. 

Prominent people’s organizations that participated in the meeting include Lok Shakti Abhiyaan, Paschim Odisha Kisan Samanvya Samiti, Odisha Nadi Suraksha Samukhya (all from Odisha) Chhattisgarh Bachao Aandolan, Kheti Bachao Jeevan Bachao Aandolan, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Ekta Parishad and Prayog Samajik Vikas (all from Chhattisgarh).

The management of water resources in India has always been a challenge. From the British era till now, the various governments that ruled India have grappled with the fundamental issue of water equity. 

To address the water sector issues of the farmers in Maharashtra, the government has adopted Maharashtra State Water Policy, 2003 and has passed the following nine irrigation-related enactments:

1.Maharashtra Irrigation Act, 1976. 

2.Mahrashtra Krishna Vally Irrigation Development Corporation Act, 1996

3.Tapi Irrigation Development Corporation Act,1997

4.Konkan Irrigation Development Cooperation Act, 1997.

5.Godawari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation Act, Maharashtra 1998.

6.Maharashtra Viderbha Irrigation Development Corporation Act, 1998.

7.Maharashtra Management of Irrigation Systems by Farmers Act, 2005.

8.Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Act, 2005.

9.Maharashtra Groundwater (Development & Management) Act, 2009

But even after the above laws and policies, farmers in the state are facing water crises.

Retired associate professor at Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), Aurangabad, Pradeep Purandare, spoke to India Water Portal on the implementation of laws and policies related to the irrigation sector in Maharashtra.

There are nine laws and policies related to the irrigation sector in Maharashtra. Then, why is it that the lives of farmers in Maharashtra not improving?

The problem is not with the Acts but the improper implementation of laws. Though there are nine laws, only one Act has the rules. We are still going by the rules existed during the British regime. There is a lot of ambiguity in the implementation of the Acts because of the absence of clear rules and regulations.

What is the ambiguity in the legal framework that you are talking about?

Just enacting a law is not enough to address the issues of farmers. There is a need for clear rules, notifications, agreements, government resolutions, orders and circulars. For example, the Right to Information Act (RTI) has all the essential ingredients to help the common man in retrieving information from any government department. The RTI has framed clear rules regarding who will do what and has a proper institutional structure to address the public queries. In case, any authority is not abiding by the rules and regulations, then they have to bear the consequences, such as the termination of the services of the authorities in charge. We need a similar framework in the water sector also to improve the overall water sector in India.

Why is there a reluctance from the government to prepare the rules?

The government likes to take credit for preparing an Act but does not want rules because rules reduce its discretionary powers. Maharashtra Irrigation Act, 1976 does not have rules till date. In the implementation of Maharashtra Management of Irrigation Systems by Farmers Act, 2005, there is an ambiguity in the rules for water users association at a higher level. There has been a delay in the formation of sub committees, the water users association agreements are not yet executed, and there are many similar examples that speak volumes about the actual non-implementation of Acts in the state.  

What are your views on the implementation of the Maharashtra Water Resource Regulatory Authority Act, 2005?

The effort of the government to bring this Act is commendable, but on the ground, the implementation of the law is yet to happen. There was a reluctance to frame rules when the Act was enacted. It took seven years for the government to just prepare the rules. That too, it happened only after an order to that effect by the high court. Those rules were then found to be not compatible with the Act and had to be withdrawn. There are thus no rules even today.

Even after the implementation of the MWRRA Act, the state water board and the state water council have not yet started functioning in the truest sense, and integrated state water plan (ISWP) is not yet prepared even after 10 years of its implementation. Under MWRRA, the surface and the groundwater use for all purposes like drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation have to be regulated, but nothing significant has been done so far. 

In October 2014, I filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court about the preparation of ISWP and operationalisation of the legal framework of MWRRA to make the government accountable to the people. The provisions in the MWRRA have the potential to establish a robust framework for good water governance to resolve water conflicts in the state. For example, the ongoing conflict regarding the release of water for Jayakwadi project can also be addressed in a better manner if the framework for water governance is in place.

What is the impact of the PIL?

On Jan 17, 2015, the chief minister of Maharashtra ordered to build a task force to fulfil the gaps in the legal process under MWRRA but even after the CM's intervention, the authorities have not taken any significant steps to strengthen the law. The high court has declared 191 projects, cleared by MWRRA in the absence of ISWP, as illegal. The court has also ordered that no administrative approval should be given to new projects till the preparation of ISWP.   

How can we mitigate farmers’ problems in the country?

There is a need for good governance and political will to frame clear rules for every water-related Act in the country. Due to the lack of governance and political will, we cannot regulate the water sector in an equitable way. Water crimes are increasing, and farmers are not getting their share of water for irrigation purpose due to lack of rules and institutional structure. If the government is interested, then we have ample solutions to farmers’ problems in the country, but is the government listening?

NABARD to raise Rs 77,000 crore to fund 100 prioritised irrigation projects

Under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKYS), the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will raise over Rs 77,000 crore to fund nearly 100 prioritised irrigation projects, including 56 in drought-prone areas. Out of the total projects, 26 irrigation projects will be completed in Maharashtra, while 14 and 11 projects in Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, respectively. In phase-I, NABARD will provide Rs 20,000 crore for the construction of 23 irrigation projects by March 2017. 

Bihar cabinet approves Rs 543 crore for tap water

Under the Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal programme, the Bihar cabinet has approved a sum of Rs 543 crore for providing piped drinking water. Along with this, the cabinet has also given its green nod to the proposal of the public health engineering department (PHED) for the implementation of Bihar Gram Swachh Peyajal Nishchay Abhiyan. The objective of the scheme is to ensure community participation for making safe drinking water available to the fluoride and arsenic-affected areas.

Karnataka govt pays no heed to NGT’s wetlands order

The Karnataka government is yet to comply with the National Green Tribunal’s order to declare the lakes in Bengaluru as wetlands under the Wetland Rules, 2010. It seems that the delay is due to the government’s fear of additional restrictions imposed on wetland areas and the emphasis of preserving them in time-bound manner. Even in Chennai, the Madras high court has rapped the Tamil Nadu government for failure to remove encroachments on city waterways.

Telangana to come up with its own land acquisition act

In order to speed up work on irrigation projects, the Telangana government is all set to enact its own land acquisition act. The aim behind this move is to eliminate the procedural delays on account of the Central Act of 2013. Recently, the state government had proposed to create an irrigation potential of 3.6 million acres for which there is a need to acquire one lakh acres of land for full implementation of the irrigation projects.

NGT slaps a fine on DJB over groundwater extraction by Delhi Metro

The National Green Tribunal has reprimanded the Delhi Jal Board for not filing its response on a petition filed against Delhi Metro for extracting groundwater, instead of wastewater, to wash its trains. The DJB had assured the tribunal to file a reply against the petition within two or three days. However, no reply has been filed as yet. The Tribunal has also slapped a fine of Rs 2000 on the latter for making loose statements.

This is a roundup of important policy matters from September 4 - 10, 2016. Also read last week's news roundup.

Lead image source: Nvvchar via Wikipedia

The union territory (UT) Of Puducherry is, for the most part, enveloped on three sides by the state of Tamil Nadu with the Bay of Bengal framing its eastern face. A total of 84 irrigation tanks--part of the Gingee and Pennaiyar river systems--dot the territory’s landscape. 

Recently, the Puducherry Department of Science, Technology and Environment (DSTE) secured a grant of Rs 17 crore from NABARD for renewing water bodies--52 in all (20 tanks and 32 ponds). Villages were selected and tanks were finalised without consulting any of the tank users’ associations. In contrast, the government of Puducherry-funded Tank Rehabilitation Project-Pondicherry (TRPP) functioned efficiently for five years between 2004 and 2008 with a budget of under three crores per year for the upkeep of all 84 tanks in Puducherry. 

Approval of the steering committee, the apex body responsible for deciding upon matters relating to irrigation tanks in Puducherry, was bypassed altogether. The committee was set up a couple of years ago to ensure stakeholder participation--command area farmers, tank users and agricultural labourers--before deciding upon any matter relating to irrigation tanks. Politicians,  along with corrupt officials and department chiefs, are to be blamed for such brazen circumvention, villagers say. 

“The village selection was almost comical. The village of Seliamedu, where large-scale conversion of farmland into real estate plots is increasing by the day, was among the chosen few. What more, 17 crores for just 20 tanks. If left to us, we could revamp all 84 tanks for half the cost,” rues V. Chandrasekhar, president of the Bangaaru Vaickal Neeraadhara Koottamaippu, a cluster association representing six sluice associations of the massive Bahour tank. The cluster association is responsible for the upkeep of the Bahour tank as well as the Bangaru feeder channel which routes water into the main tank from river Pennaiyar. 

Why are tanks more popular here?

Due to the non-perennial nature of most rivers, tank irrigation is common in south India. In order to maximise the efficiency of water utilisation, an intricate system of inter-linked tanks were designed where water from the nearby rivers would proceed to fill tanks one by one in a cascading manner. Once a tank in the system got filled up to the appropriate level, the excess water would flow out into the next one in the system along the earthen channels. Topography and land gradient were studied to ensure this flow of water.

The states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, along with the small union territory of Puducherry, boast of such an elaborate system of man-made tanks that have managed to irrigate around 92 percent of all agricultural fields till the 1970s. 

The large-scale shift to groundwater for irrigation is a recent phenomenon. Tubewells were practically absent in the 1950s, entering the irrigation scene only a decade later. While tubewells irrigated a measly 0.135 million hectares of land in 1960-61, their contribution rose tremendously to 26.013 million hectares in 2008-09. 

The ease with which groundwater can be accessed along with scant regulation has made tank irrigation seem rather dispensable. This could not be further from the truth. 

Tank rehabilitation project

Back in 1999, with financial support from the European Union, the Puducherry government undertook a massive exercise to rehabilitate all existing tanks in the UT. The TRPP focused on desilting water bodies as well as irrigation and feeder channels with the active participation of the community. 

The public works department (PWD) along with the agriculture, revenue and local administration departments ran the project. The advice of non-governmental organisations (NGO) was sought, and Auroville’s Water Harvest, along with the ​Centre for Ecology & Rural Development (CERD), were tasked with mobilising the community and ensuring their active participation at the start of the project with a few more organisations roped in at later phases​. It put in place a robust participatory tank management system with tank users' association (TUA) at its core. Many of these associations continue to remain active even today.

Tenacious farmers of Bahour

As Benjamin Disreali once said, ‘Justice is truth in action’, and Chandrasekhar’s association wouldn’t stop until the bureaucracy’s follies are exposed. Repeated petitioning on behalf of all the farmers and their associations brought him to the Puducherry lieutenant governor (LG), Kiran Bedi’s door step. After the LG was apprised of past rehabilitation efforts and the eagerness of enterprising tank associations in being part of the process, a meeting of the steering committee was convened a day after. With just a day’s notice, Chandrasekhar’s team managed to bring all 84 tank associations up to speed, and representatives from every association were present for the consultative meeting. 

“We no longer have the luxury of waiting for someone to fight our battles; we have to get down and fight for what’s ours. People need to get together, discuss, build capacity and tap the traditional knowledge which is available in plenty,” adds farmer Arjunan, from the Keezhparikalpet tank association in Bahour.

The PWD, initially was to have a free hand in choosing contractors. But the tank associations argued that such a system only bred corruption, and requested the LG to entrust them with all renovation works. Paying heed to the associations’ plea regarding their involvement, the LG ordered all rehabilitation works to be taken up by the tank associations themselves. It was also agreed that apart from the 20 tanks as per the original NABARD plan, all 84 tanks will now be taken up for rejuvenation with the PWD’s own funds for irrigation. 

The long road to the PWD

With the northeast monsoon fast approaching, Chandrasekhar feels it is imperative to get the feeder channels desilted before the rains. “Most large tanks can be desilted only in the dry season. So, before the rains, all that can be done is channel desilting and it needs to be done soon,” he adds. 

While work orders were issued to most of the associations, officials withheld the order for the Bangaru cluster association and the six sluice associations of the Bahour tank. “The programme is centrally sponsored. It has the sanction of the UT’s lieutenant governor. Yet, work orders were withheld at the behest of the political leaders. The PWD minister and the MLA from Bahour wanted the contracts to be handed over to private parties of their choice,” says Chandrasekhar. 

The Bahour tank is dependent on the Bangaru channel for its runoff and river water supply. Hence, it is imperative that the Bangaru channel is renovated before any of the other structures in the Bahour cascade system. 

“One of the main reasons for the TRPP’s success was the complete de-linking of participatory irrigation management related works from the political process. And, we have ex-chief minister N. Rangaswamy to thank; all orders came directly from his desk, ensuring minimum political interference throughout,” he adds. In fact, in the current set up, tank users’ associations are the most legitimate agencies to take up any kind of participatory irrigation management works given their superlative understanding of ground realities and traditional knowledge that has been handed down for generations. Unless political and official non-interference is ensured, meaningful rehabilitation work will continue to remain a distant dream.

The LG has since granted him audience and ordered the Chief Engineer of the PWD to issue work orders with immediate effect. Strong-willed farmers score; corrupt officials nada!

Taking on the mining mafia

The association has been active in keeping the Puducherry LG informed of all the afflictions the Pennaiyar has had to endure. Despite the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) ban on sand mining in the area, it carries on without much difficulty. The NGT had ordered bunds to be strengthened along the river banks to prevent trucks and carts from entering. Bunds have since been broken and the accused function with impunity. 

According to the association’s figures, nearly 1000-1500 sand-laden bullock carts ply in the area on weekends alone, all through fully-staffed check posts. “They have orders from high up the chain, none other than welfare minister Kandasamy and public works minister Namasivayam,” adds Chandrasekhar. Villagers claim that neither the police nor the village officers are ready to take action on the offenders. 

But, Chandrasekhar and his partners are in no mood to yield. Emails and phone calls to the LG’s office continue and the associations have vowed to not rest until justice is served. 

“With bountiful arrangements for tank irrigation, our ancestors ensured that Bahour was crowned the undisputed rice bowl of Puducherry. But my generation bled the ground dry. Waterbodies and public spaces were taken for granted and encroached upon. Now we fight for our future generations’ welfare and we do not have a choice; we just cannot give up,” laments Pavadai, a concerned farmer from Bahour.

J&K govt to construct ‘mini dams’ for irrigation

The government of Jammu and Kashmir is planning construction of water storage facilities on the tributaries of the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers to increase agriculture productivity in the kandi areas and on the plateaus. Officials insist that they are within the rights under the Indus Water Treaty to do so, quantifying the annual loss due to the absence of water storage facilities on western rivers to Rs 6,000 crore.

World Bank to invest Rs 1000 crore in Assam

Assam’s age old inland water transport system is set to get a major face lift with the World Bank agreeing to invest Rs 1000 crore in this neglected sector. The money is to be utilised for the development of jetties (ghats) on the river banks. This project is expected to infuse new lease of life into the inland water transport system in the state. 

Vembanad lake may vanish in 50 years: Study

Kerala’s Vembanad Lake, the largest wetland system in the country, may no longer exist in another 50 years, according to a recent study. It was found that urbanisation, pollution and reclamation had whittled the water mass down by 40 percent in area and 65 percent in depth.

Chennai’s bloating dumpyard sounds death knell for marsh

Chennai’s Perungudi dumpyard expansion towards the Pallikaranai marshland is leading to gradual blockage of the channel that drains stormwater from the city. The extending dumping site is blocking the flow of water from the southern hubs, even as the civic body is yet to take action to prevent the dangerous spread of the dumpyard in the marsh.

Large amount of sewage flows into rivers untreated every day: CPCB

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) submitted a report to National Green Tribunal which states that 63 percent of all sewage flowing into rivers every day in urban centres is untreated. The 816 sewage treatment plants spread across the country have the capacity to treat less than 50 percent of sewage generated. It also stated that there are 302 polluted river stretches on 275 rivers, which are along the 35 metropolitan cities and 615 other urban centres. 

This is a roundup of important news from September 26 - October 2, 2016. Also read last week's policy matters.

Phaguni Ho hails from East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand. Come March, Phaguni’s husband will migrate to Chennai to work as a daily wager at a construction site. Unable to handle the small farm in Singhbhum alone, she has given it on lease to another farmer. “I have to look after my four children and livestock. Now that the income from my farm has declined, I go for work under the employment guarantee programme. I also collect firewood and other forest products to supplement the household income,” she says. “One failed crop, and the money is all lost and one falls into debt. Wage labour pays more, so we lease out our fields,” she adds.

In India’s drought-ravaged regions, the crisis in agricultural sector, coupled with water scarcity, is pushing millions of farmers like Phaguni out of their farms and into the cities for jobs. As per a report in The Hindu dated May 2, 2013, over 2000 farmers are leaving agriculture every day. A survey conducted by Lokniti, one of the programmes of the Centre for Study of Developing Societies, a research institute on social sciences, found that over 40 percent of Indian farmers were dissatisfied with their economic condition and were leaving farming en masse, putting pressure on urban areas.

Taking notice of this grave situation, the government is preparing a grand plan to drought proof India’s vulnerable districts. Three ministries--rural development, agriculture and farmer's welfare, and water resources--are expected to work towards the convergence of their flagship schemes and massive efforts will be launched for water conservation and storage in water scarce areas.

Where are we going wrong?

While this is a welcome step, we need to look at why agricultural development programmes have not met their purpose in a country where 1.3 billion people depend on the sector.

Farming is no longer a popular option and the sector has been in dire need of a booster dose of investment for a long time. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) was launched in 2007 to promote decentralised agriculture planning. This was a time when the country was faced with a faltering growth rate in agriculture of around 2.5 percent. In particular, the growth rate of agriculture and allied sectors declined from 4.8 percent in the eighth five year plan to 2.5 and 2.4 percent in the ninth and the tenth five year plan, prompting the launch of RKVY. Our GDP dream was unfulfilled and the falling rural demand for goods was rocking the boats of various industries, too. It was widely believed that for India to grow at eight percent, our agriculture must grow at four percent. As per the State of Indian Agriculture, 2011-12, “experience from BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries indicates that one percent growth in agriculture is at least two or three times more effective in reducing poverty than the same growth emanating from non-agriculture sectors.”

RKVY was expected to create this turnaround. Making a case for RKVY, Dr H. S. Sur, former advisor, Agriculture, Planning Commission of India, in his paper RKVY during 12th Five-Year Plan, says, “Decreased public investment in agriculture, poor investment efficiency, lack of people’s involvement in planning and development were important reasons for slow growth, low productivity and income of farmers.” This is what the RKVY sought to reverse. Typically, the programme was to include components like animal husbandry, fisheries, minor irrigation projects, rural development works, agricultural marketing schemes and schemes for water harvesting and conservation. Incomes of India’s poor rural population were expected to increase and farmers were expected to get more profits from farming. 

A lowdown on RKVY

For the first time, agricultural planning was decentralised and plans prepared at the district and state level: District Agriculture Plan (DAP) and State Agriculture Plan (SAP). The state governments were to make sure of RKVY’s convergence with other programmes as well as with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). States were incentivised to draw up plans for agricultural sector comprehensively, taking agroclimatic conditions, natural resource issues and technology into account, and integrating livestock, poultry and fisheries more completely. Further, the local needs, crops and priorities were to be better reflected in the district plans. The productivity of important crops was sought to be increased through focused interventions. 

In addition, states had the flexibility and autonomy to adopt an effective monitoring system at grassroots level within this provision. After all, the programme was designed as a state plan scheme and states were free to tailor the programme based on their requirements. The then finance minister, Chidambaram had claimed in his budget speech in 2013-14 that RKVY was intended to mobilise higher investment in agriculture.

What happened to it a few years later?

Was the programme able to reverse the declining returns in agriculture in the country? Was it able to ensure minimum income for farmers?

As per an audit of RKVY by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in 2015, there were deficiencies in the preparation of SAP and DAP. These include lack of agroclimatic study, convergence with other schemes, detailed project reports and involvement of grassroots agency. “In most of the states, the planning process was deficient in aspects like participation of grassroots local agencies such as gram sabha or gram panchayat,” the report says.

On this, the CAG recommends that “the ministry should ensure that states take up only those projects which are consistent with DAPs and SAPs”. In some cases, “projects not directly related to or not permissible under RKVY had been approved”, the CAG report notes.

As per the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA), a Delhi-based think-tank focusing on public policies and government finances, greater budgetary allocation combined with strengthening of institutional mechanism of RKVY has helped. Funds are being utilised better and adequate flexibility has been given to the states to articulate the local needs of the sector. This has played an important role in improving the performance of agricultural sector in the past few years. It adds that “inadequate human resources & targeted investments, lack of proper decentralised planning and monitoring mechanisms are some of the major problems in the implementation of this scheme, which still need to be fixed”.

As per an evaluation of RKVY in 22 districts of Andhra Pradesh in 2011 by ANGR Agricultural University, Hyderabad, the programme failed to “assess the present potentialities of the farming community and the village as a whole and the future requirements”. 

“The DAPs did not integrate the centrally-sponsored schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Backward Region Grant Fund, Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana and Bharat Nirman," the CAG report says. Same was the case with tied (conditional) or untied (unconditional) funds transferred from the Central and State Finance Commissions. “A well-coordinated effort of marshalling resources from all segments to boost agricultural growth is therefore missing,” it adds. This led to duplication of efforts. To deal with this, the CAG report notes that “the design of the scheme may be reviewed to remove complexity and multiplicity of schemes in agriculture sector”.

One of the main objectives of RKVY was to incentivise the states to increase public investment in agriculture and allied sectors. The CAG audit report reveals that of the 27 states implementing RKVY, in 12 states the allocation for agriculture and allied sectors did not increase in proportion to the total allocation during the period under review. 

Of the total projects selected for audit examination, 38 percent had “deficiencies in the implementation such as non-achievement of targets, shortfall, non-completion of projects, irregular implementation of projects and diversion of funds”. Though the centre had envisaged it as a flexible scheme--giving due consideration to the selection of projects based on detailed planning--the manner in which projects were sanctioned without requisite pilot studies and regardless of local variabilities compromised its intended bottom-up approach, and resulted in a scramble for project approvals. The sheer number of projects without exercise of informed judgment, made the programme bulky and unwieldy leading to under performance. No correlation between RKVY implementation and agricultural growth could be established.

As per the evaluation by ANGR Agricultural University, the capacity building of field extension professionals is very important as a majority of middle-level extension and functionaries, field level extension workers of the agriculture department are not well oriented with RKVY concept, objectives and programmes. This is a highly undesirable situation which leads to poor implementation. To be specific, a majority of the extension functionaries are not aware of seed management and soil health management components, though these aspects are being addressed with the financial assistance of RKVY.

Phaguni does not know about RKVY but nurses grievances against official policies because of their countless acts of commission and omission. She does not know whether the public spending on agriculture is declining or increasing but can sense her deteriorating material conditions. She just hopes to get out of the crisis she is faced with. 

Minket Lepcha always felt close to nature and the environment since her childhood, thanks to her upbringing in the picturesque Darjeeling. Though she had spent many years in Delhi, studying and working in corporate firms, her interest in community development, environment and culture brought her back to her home town. 

Leaving her corporate life in Delhi behind, she started teaching at a school in Darjeeling. In teaching, she finds an opportunity to influence and steer the minds of future thinkers towards the environment and conservation. It’s this passion for nature and conservation that motivated her to make a film on river Teesta.

She was recently awarded Young Green Filmmaker 2016 at the fourth edition of Woodpecker International Film Festival, India's premier competitive film festival that focuses on issue-based cinema, held at Sirifort Auditorium in New Delhi. The Voices of Teesta is a 41-minute film which portrays the close relationship the various ethnic communities of Sikkim and West Bengal maintain with river Teesta. The film tries to delineate the impact of various infrastructural developments accomplished on the course of the river and its implications on different communities living around it. The film also captures the unheard voices of local people affected by these developments.

India Water Portal caught up with her to know more about her experience making this film.

Why did you choose Teesta over all the other environmental issues around you to make a film on?

Teesta is the lifeline of the people of Sikkim and West Bengal. The rampant development around Teesta has affected not only the eco system, but also the socio-cultural life of the people. Back in 2008, when I met the dam-affected citizens of Teesta in New Delhi for their anti–dam protest, I realised that there is a need to understand the environmental and cultural issues around Teesta very carefully. I wanted to share the voices and concerns of those people living around Teesta through my film. Having said that, my effort is to create awareness whenever and wherever I get an opportunity to talk about the environment in general. 

What has changed around Teesta in the last 50 years?

A lot of changes have happened around Teesta. In the past few decades, Teesta has seen a surge of infrastructure projects mushrooming on its bed, such as hydropower projects, pharmaceutical companies and other development projects. These projects have affected the river and its environment to a great extent.

What is the impact of hydropower projects on Teesta?

During my various interviews with people living around the Teesta, a lot of stories--ranging from issues related to compensation, livelihood and environmental impacts--came to light. There has been a visible impact on the environment around Teesta in the form of landslides and depletion of medicinal plants. Farmers have been complaining about the areas near the hydro project sinking and the environmental damages caused by drilling the mountains. 

Due to TLDP III and TLDP IV hydropower projects on Teesta, the livelihoods of thousands of people related to rafting and quarrying were affected.

What is the status of rehabilitation and compensation of the people affected by hydropower projects?

Most of the people affected by hydropower projects are dissatisfied with the settlement amount paid to them. Thousands of displaced people are looking for jobs as labourers in the hydropower companies. Many have not been rehabilitated. There were cases where people were displaced more than four times.

Do you see any changes in the cultural practices around Teesta?

Upstream riverine communities have been trying their best to hold on to their cultural practices and retain the ‘purity’ of their place, but the downstream communities are now more concerned about their livelihood than anything. The people downstream say their cultural practices around Teesta river have changed over a period of time. Many rituals that were once performed on the bank of river Teesta, like the huge gathering of communities for Mage Sankranti (January) and the celebration at Triveni, have lost their glory. People now prefer to perform rituals on small rivulets than on big banks.

What impact do you see on the livelihoods of people dependent on Teesta?

The farmers complain that there is a decrease in their agricultural production. The people say rafting as a sport has been affected because of the dams across Teesta that slow the water currents and the quarry workers are complaining about lack of work. During the shooting of the documentary, I found out that the TLDP hydro project III- Kalijhora was about to begin and the quarry workers in the area were worried about their livelihood because they now have to find a new place for quarrying.

Is there any public grievance authority or an Act to address the issues of these people?

No, I don't think so; even if there is one, it's just on papers. According to the people there, the critical issues like compensation, rehabilitation, livelihood opportunities, necessary facilities, etc were never discussed by the government with them to avoid any resistance from the citizens.

What are your recommendations to improve the situation?

There is a need to unite people to save Teesta. Their voices need to be heard!

NABARD sanctions loan to NWDA for irrigation projects

To double the farmers’ income by 2022, NABARD has sanctioned loan worth Rs 19,702 crore to National Water Development Agency (NWDA) for 50 irrigation projects in 11 states. Along with the utilisation of irrigation potential, the initiative would also help in command area development works. Also, under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Program (AIBP), the water ministry has released the first installment of Rs 1500 crore to the states as central assistance for 99 prioritised irrigation projects.

Cauvery dispute: SC orders Karnataka to continue releasing 2,000 cusecs to TN 

Extending its October 4, 2016 order, the Supreme Court has directed the Karnataka government to continue the release of 2000 cusecs Cauvery water a day to Tamil Nadu till further orders are given. The court has also warned the two governments against any act of violence over the Cauvery water dispute. Along with this, the SC-appointed panel has recommended in its report that the two states must do away with outdated and unscientific water application techniques for resolving their dispute over Cauvery water. 

Krishna dispute: Tribunal refuses to relook into allocation

The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal will not relook into the allocation of Krishna water among the four riparian states--Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. However, the tribunal will be looking at the water distribution between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The judgement is a major setback for these two states that had filed a petition seeking redistribution of Krishna water among all the four riparian States. 

No more expenditure to be done on Ganga projects: NGT to UP Government

The National Green Tribunal has reprimanded the Uttar Pradesh government for wasting crores of rupees on Ganga rejuvenation and has restricted it from spending on any major project except maintenance work on the stretch from Haridwar to Kanpur. The order has come following the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and state authorities, including UP Jal Nigam, failing to state the total number of industrial units around the river and the quantity of industrial waste discharged by these industries into the Ganga.

Centre to assess flood damage in Bihar

The Bihar government has sought funds worth Rs 4,111 crore as compensation to the damages caused by the recent floods in the state. With 254 deaths, nearly 88 lakh people in 31 districts across the state have been affected by the floods. Also, 3.65 lakh hectares of land was submerged, causing extensive damage to crops. The central team will be visiting the state in November to assess the extent of damage caused. 

This is a roundup of important policy matters from October 17-22, 2016. Also read news this week.

Lead image source: Nvvchar via Wikipedia.

Normal monsoon leads to record agricultural output this year

This year, India is set to stage record agricultural output of 270 million tonnes due to normal monsoon and more money on agriculture. As against the government target of 132 million tonnes, India is set for a kharif output of 135 million tonnes. It seems the rabi target will also be met. Even the water available nationwide in 91 reservoirs is 25 percent more than the amount that was available at the same time last year. Except for Karnataka and Gujarat, the India’s agricultural economy looks positive this year. 

Three hydropower projects launched in Himachal Pradesh

Prime minister Narendra Modi has launched three flagship hydropower projects—NHPC’s 800 MW Parbati-III, NTPC’s 800 MW Koldam and SJVNL’s 412 MW Rampur project—in Himachal Pradesh. Along with this, to fully utilise the country’s rights over river water going to Pakistan, the government is also planning to harness the hydropower potential in the northeast region which faces hurdles due to environmental concerns. However, the government is considering the option of easing the green process to overcome the environmental issues.  

Punjab faces acute groundwater depletion

Experts have warned of a drastic decline in the agricultural output in the state due to rapid depletion of groundwater in the recent years. Also, the experts have recommended to shift from water-intensive rice and wheat crops to less-thirsty crops to safeguard the state’s economy. Even the Centre has expressed concern over the depleting groundwater levels in the state and has stressed on the need to make water conservation and management the top priority of the state government. 

UN recommends scrapping Indo-Bangla power plant

The United Nations (UN) has recommended to scrap the Maitree Super Thermal Power Project, a joint venture between India and Bangladesh. The project will pose a serious threat to the World Heritage Site in Sunderbans which is just 65 kilometers from the project site. UN has identified core potential threats to the plants in Sunderbans which includes pollution from coal and waste ash, wastewater, increased shipping and dredging and the cumulative impact of industrial and related development infrastructure.

Sardar Sarovar dam rehabilitation: Multi-crore compensation scam exposed

A multi-crore compensation scam worth Rs 1,785 crore for the rehabilitation of people living around Sardar Sarovar dam has been exposed. It has come to the notice of the Gujarat government that the compensation amount it paid to Madhya Pradesh for the rehabilitation of the dam outsees has gone into fake land registrations. Although the former plans to recover the amount from the latter, the issue has spoiled Gujarat's chances of getting permission to close the erected gates for more water storage.

This is a roundup of important news from October 17-22, 2016. Also, read the policy matters this week.

With recent reports of China blocking a tributary of the Brahmaputra in Tibet to construct its most expensive hydro project, the Assam government has been worried. Experts in the field believe that it is time India initiated hydro diplomacy with its neighbour. 

Claiming their stakes

This report Water resource competition in the Brahmaputra river basin: China, India and Bangladesh published by CNA Analysis and Solutions says that the Brahmaputra river, which originates in China and runs through India as well as Bangladesh, is important for the water security of all the three countries, but with different implications for each of them. The river originates in Tibet, controlled by China (upper riparian), runs through India (middle riparian) and flows into Bangladesh (lower riparian).

China and India have already fought a war in 1962 over the contested territory through which the river flows while Bangladesh faces serious water security concerns as it is always at the receiving end of the upstream river practices of China and India. However, despite concerns related to regional security due to dam building and water-diversion activities, no bilateral or multilateral water management accord exists in the Brahmaputra river basin.

A number of studies have examined the water policies of the three countries and their implications on water management. This report presents the findings of a study that analyses:

• The security implications of the competition over the water in the Brahmaputra river basin at the domestic, bilateral and river basin levels in the three countries.
• The  policies and steps that can be undertaken to improve water security and encourage cooperation in the basin.

China’s stand on the issue

Called as Yarlung Psangpo in China, the Brahmaputra is important to China for its hydropower development plans, a plan that is expected to meet least resistancefrom Tibet due to its negligible population and vulnerable position. There have been rumours of Chinese plans to divert the Brahmaputra to deal with the domestic water shortages. Although these plans seem unlikely because of cost and feasibility concerns, it has been worrying India for some time.

On the other hand, China is concerned about India’s efforts to build hydroelectric dams in Arunachal Pradesh that would increase India’s control on the disputed region. The border dispute and lack of mutual trust between the two countries provide little option to come up with agreements or water treaties. The two countries, however, have started cooperating on hydrological information-sharing, disaster management and pollution control. It appears that China was reluctant to engage in basin-wide cooperation with India and Bangladesh, but maybe open to exploring multilateral avenues based on information sharing and technical challenges.

How India feels about it

The Brahmaputra flows through only three percent of the area in India. Though the area is neither populated, nor industrialised or agriculturally-developed, the water is important for the population that resides in the area. However, the river has great political significance for India as it flows through the northeast that is now gaining political importance in the country, and then flows to Bangladesh, the lower riparian, with which it has had difficult relations.

India’s policies as a middle riparian are different than those of China and Bangladesh. The policies also depend on China’s plan to dam and possibly divert the river, its desire to establish the right over the river and its need to generate electricity and control flooding and soil erosion in the northeastern states by constructing dams.

Although India and China have increased their dialogue on information sharing on the Brahmaputra, a deep sense of distrust still prevails among the two countries. With Bangladesh, India’s concerns related to the Brahmaputra are a part of its wider relations with other countries conducted through the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) and specific agreements on the Teesta and the Ganges river.

Bangladesh: Caught between powerful neighbours

Bangladesh faces the maximum potential threat to the Brahmaputra from the actions of its two upper riparian neighbours as its population highly depends on the river waters that originate from  outside its boundaries. Bangladesh looks at the many river-related activities of India, like the river interlinking project, the failed Teesta 2011 agreement, the current river-diversion plans, its consumption of the Ganges river resources that have led to lower dry season flows and salinity intrusion with more caution that it does with China’s dam-building plans or its lack of transparency.

However, both India and China share seasonal water flow and rainfall data with Bangladesh to help with flood forecasting. Recently, the relations between India and Bangladesh have improved and there is hope that this will lead to the signing of the agreement on the Teesta river, thus setting the stage for further positive interactions between the two countries. Among the three riparians, Bangladesh is the strongest advocate of cooperative multilateral management and development of the basin.

Need for the three countries to work together

The report argues for the need for the three countries to work together bilaterally and multilaterally and improve their domestic management of the Brahmaputra river. The report makes some recommendations at the domestic, bilateral and basin-wide levels for better partnership among the three countries.

Domestic level

• China should provide access to information regarding its dam-construction plans on the Brahmaputra.
• The government of India should continue efforts to help hydrological data-sharing between the centre and the northeastern states in India, improve dialogue with the northeastern government on its plan to construct major dams in the region and cooperate more on the ecosystem management and ecological protection initiatives.
• Bangladesh needs to include more stakeholders in its national water management policies for the Brahmaputra basin and take help from the international community to conduct evidence-based assessment of human-security impacts in the basin.

Bilateral recommendations

• China should consider hydropower as a potential area of cooperation with India and explore ways to share hydrological data and expand humanitarian and ecological cooperation over the Brahmaputra with India.
• India should:
  • move ahead with China to share the hydrological data related to the Yarlung Psangpo and Lohit or Zayu Ku rivers according to the 2006 Joint Declaration between the two countries.
  • issue an update on the India-China relations over the Brahmaputra river.
  • clarify its plans regarding the construction of dams on the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries, implement the Teesta river agreement with Bangladesh by working closely with the West Bengal government.
• Bangladesh should:
  • seek rainfall and water flow data from China and India year round and request site visits to the dams and barrages in both the riparians.
  • seek greater cooperation over river navigation in the Brahmaputra and continue cooperation over the Teesta river agreement with India.
  • formalise its 2015 MOU with China for provision of water data and encourage Beijing to improve transparency with India so that other multilateral issues can be addressed.

Basin-wide recommendations

• China should start a dialogue with India and Bangladesh to discuss shared water challenges.
• India should:
  • include elements of ecosystem management and ecological protection in its discussion with China and Bangladesh.
  • consider how existing basin-wide mechanisms such as BCIM grouping (linkages between China, Bangladesh, India and Myanmar can help in research and action on preserving and monitoring the Himalayan glaciers as a part of the region’s common heritage.
• Bangladesh should initiate dialogue and discussion with India and China to address specific aspects of pollution, erosion, sedimentation, flood prevention and forecasting and basin-wide management.

The international community, on the other hand should be alert about the long-term implications of the discord between the three countries and the need for potential cooperation.

As we write this, there are reports coming in about the cooperation between the three countries on water sharing, with the Chinese official media quoting the readiness of Beijing to start a multilateral cooperation mechanism with India and Bangladesh to share waters. A formal identification of 10 more transboundary rivers between India and Bangladesh by the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) with a plan to enable the two countries to work together to manage them is also on the cards.

In his late 30s, Nilesh Heda is a renowned expert on issues related to fishing communities and wetland ecology. While doing his PhD on fish diversity, he worked with the fishing communities in Vidarbha in Maharashtra. He is currently heading an NGO, Samvardhan in Maharashtra's Washim district, that works on holistic approach to conservation of natural resources. He is currently focusing on establishing a chain of cooperative societies and River Study Groups (RSGs) to support fishing communities. Nilesh believes that sensitising local people about the river basin conservation is the need of the hour to sustain wetland ecosystem and fishermen's livelihoods.

He spoke to India Water Portal on the status of inland fishing and the fisherfolk in India.

What is the current scenario of fishing communities in India?

The disappearance of India's traditional fisherfolk is a strange irony. India's inland fish yield went up by eight times in the last four decades. It now contributes to more than 40 percent of the country's total fish production and 1.4 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). 

In the ninth five-year plan, the union government allocated around Rs 207 million on fisheries development; it's 400 times more than its allocation in the first five-year plan. During 1998-99, 46.3 percent of the fish catch in the country was from the inland fisheries. In the same period, inland fish production witnessed an annual growth of 10 percent (marine fish production was only five percent). More than 78 percent of inland fish production comes from aquaculture, intensive fish farming from reservoirs and other water bodies. With an annual fish production of 2.8 million tonnes, India stands second in inland fish production, next only to China. 

India's big 'blue revolution', however, has failed to impress riverine fisherfolk, the trade's original masters. There are many reasons for it. There is a dedicated department or ministry in every state to look after fisheries development, but none for the welfare of the fisherfolks. Even the census of India refuses to acknowledge them as a separate community; it doesn't have a precise classification of the riverine fisherfolk. They don't exist in the livestock census either. Deciphering the number of these fisherfolk is left to the researcher. Marine fisherfolk is, however, classified as coastal or deep-sea fishers. With rivers dying due to pollution and dams and embankments altering the flow, fisherfolk are being pushed into oblivion.

Though no official figures are available for the riverine fisherfolk, their population is estimated to be around 0.45 million. This also includes the coastal fisherfolk. A large chunk of the 387 communities, which the Anthropological Survey of India has identified, is involved in inland fishing. These people are dependent on the 191,024 kilometres (km) of rivers and canals and the numerous wetlands and reservoirs. 

What do fisherfolks do during drought?

Drought affects the livelihood of the fisherfolks severely. They simply disappear from their villages in search of subsistence. As per my knowledge, fisherfolks migrate to cities or turn to illegal activities like alcohol making.    

Do we have any data of fisherfolks affected by drought or any policy measures to help them?

No such data is maintained by either the fisheries department, department of agriculture or any other department. As far as I know, there are no such policy measures.

How have the big dams affected the livelihood of fishing communities? 

Most immediate effect of the dam is on the availability of fish. Both the diversity and the abundance of fish have changed dramatically in the post-dam scenario. For example, after a dam was built on the Adan river in Washim district in 1977, local fish like batchwavacha, Indian long-fin eel, yellow mahseer, high-backed mahseer, kolus, mullyagarra, black-line rasbora, and mola carpet that were available in abundance reduced drastically.

Have the thermal power industries affected the fishing communities?

Severely. There are many studies and research papers to support this argument. However, the area where I am working does not have any power industries.

What are the problems these communities are facing at the moment?

1) Riverine fisherfolk have not been classified in the caste lists of the governments. Most of the fisherfolk are scheduled castes (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST), depending upon the ethnological characteristics of an area. But there have been squabbles over their status. 

2) No census of the fishermen exists making it difficult to provide them financial aid. 

3) You will find information about marine fisherfolk but leading researcher in the field, Debnath says there’s no information available on riverine fisherfolk. Every state has its fisheries department, which is primarily concerned with fish-production status, but due to lack of welfare policy for the fisher folks, the fishing community suffers. 

4) Agriculture and not pisciculture gets the priority on water use. 

5) While designing big irrigation projects and constructing dams, neither any consensus is sought from the fishermen nor any compensation provided to them for their losses.

6) The fishing cooperatives so far have not benefitted the fisherfolks because of faulty systems.

What happened to the cooperative?

Fisherfolks are mostly illiterate and have failed to manage the cooperatives properly. Thus, over a period of time, the cooperatives are captured by wealthy people. Fisherfolks are not able to register their cooperative because it requires money and they are poor.  

Do government provide any subsidy for the fishing cooperatives?

There are various subsidies. However, most of the fisherfolks are not part of the cooperative societies so the subsidies are enjoyed by others.

Will the current drought-proofing measures like Jalyukt Shivar by the government in Maharashtra help fishing communities in retaining their livelihood?

Restoring water bodies and making traditional fisherfolk stakeholders in fisheries development may save this fast-disappearing tribe. In the Jalyukt Shivar programmes, the main focus is on water conservation and not the overall ecological restoration. Unless it is done, it is difficult for fishing communities to sustain their livelihood. 

Are there any insurance schemes or government schemes for the fisherfolks to compensate for their loss during the drought?

No. Not at all.

What are your recommendations to improve the situation of the community?

The degradation of the inland open water resources has dealt a major blow to the traditional fisherfolk. These resources need to be restored. The polluters must be taken to task. Integrating the knowledge of the fisherfolk in the management of fish stocks will go a long way in improving their status. The present fisheries policies are formulated in the control and revenue structure. They do not encourage any enterprise of the fisherfolks. The leasing policy is an excellent example of this. While the lease periods in India for a fishery can extend up to seven years, in most places, it is less than five years. This makes the leaseholder resort to exploitative fishing than making the resource sustainable. 

Set in India-ka-dil, Madhya Pradesh, is the unending expanse of Panna. A national park, declared tiger reserve in 1994 under Project Tiger--the government of India’s tiger conservation programme--the place gets a lot of wildlife buffs. The fragmented forest landscape of Panna supports other wildlife species too, especially deers like sambar, nilgai and chital apart from the verdant teak and kardhai forests. The deers nibble on the short grass which abounds the area. This is perhaps the only big chunk of wildlife habitat present in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh.

Awarded the best maintained national park of India by the Ministry of Tourism in 2007, Panna lost its entire tiger population by 2009, thanks to the forest department that colluded with the poachers. A committee was formed to look into the disappearance of tigers. Tigers were translocated from other reserves and their numbers are picking up, having reached 35 now.

All this is set to change soon with the latest central government decision.

River interlinking and its fallout

A large part of Panna is going to be diverted for the Ken-Betwa interlinking project, the first of the 30 interlinking projects planned by the government in 2004. As per the National Water Development Agency (NWDA), the technical agency that planned the project, Ken-Betwa link is purported to irrigate nearly seven lakh hectares in drought-prone Bundelkhand.

The key structures of the project include a 77-metre-high Daudhan dam across the Ken river and a 231.45-km canal to transfer “surplus” water from the Uttar Pradesh section of the Ken to the Betwa in Madhya Pradesh. The project, though mooted in the 1980s, was brought to life in the late 2000s. This was followed by the project being challenged in the Supreme Court which gave its consent only in 2013.

A task force was set up by the ministry of water resources in 2014 to get a speedy consensus among the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on the link project. NWDA claims that the project is important for the country’s water security and that the project reports have taken every possible risk into account and incorporated corrective measures. After a nod from both the states, the detailed project report and other formalities have been completed for the Ken-Betwa link. With the ministry of water resources making a strong pitch for it, the project is set to roll soon.

However, statutory clearances for Ken-Betwa project by way of environment, wildlife and forest clearances were hard to get, given the social and environmental concerns. The project poses an array of challenges. Should the Ken-Betwa project get executed, it will spell disaster for the area’s wildlife and cause irreparable loss to the ecology. A total of 4141 hectares of the tiger reserve is expected to be submerged. This includes 10 percent of the core area, or the vital tiger habitat. And, with it we will lose the innocuous beauties of this landscape like its broad steady streams and the grunting wildlife it supports. The tiger habitat, vulture nests and the gharial--the iconic fish-eating crocodilian--all of which are perilously in danger of extinction in the region will be endangered by the height of the dam, experts say.

National Board on Wildlife (NBWL) has requested a conservation organisation, the Bombay natural history society to help in settling the vultures because 50 percent of its habitat is likely to be destroyed if the project gets implemented. A considerable part of the catchment area of Ken river will be lost. And with that, we lose the spectacular bounties on display on this broad strip of land. "Why have the people of the tribal-dominated area where the proposed Daudhan dam is being constructed been not consulted?"asks ecological scientist Brij Gopal.

The damage to trees will be colossal with seven lakh trees expected to be submerged in water. This will lead to an irreversible loss of breeding sites for wild animals and loss to the vegetation diversity.

Is linking of rivers necessary?

Some experts believe this interlinking does not serve its proposed purpose because it is likely to cater to areas which have already reached their irrigation potential. Wildlife biologist based in Panna, Raghu Chundawat was quoted as saying that the “irrigation benefits are specific to only Vidisha district and not to Chhatarpur and Tikamgarh districts as claimed. These regions already have 80 percent irrigation potential.”

India Water Portal had earlier reported how, in an open debate on the issue by water policy expert Ramaswamy Iyer, Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) and Brij Gopal, apprehensions were raised about the project. Iyer expressed his distress at the move to expedite the project and stressed that the “project was fundamentally flawed and potentially disastrous”.

Based on his extensive work on the Ken-Betwa river ecosystem, Gopal questioned the hydrologic viability of the gargantuan scheme. Challenging the very concept of surplus and deficit river, he asked, "Does the Ken have surplus water to transfer to the Betwa?” He also wondered how the detailed project report and the environment impact assessment (EIA) has put forth different per capita basin water requirements for the two basins which have similar characteristics.” The project’s public hearing drew flak because of the numerous violations.

Water resources minister Uma Bharti cited the increasing cases of droughts to push for the project. “Farmers in Bundelkhand are clamouring for the project and want water. We will take care of the wildlife but livelihoods can’t be held hostage,” she was reported to have said recently. Earlier she had threatened to go on agitation against the hurdles to the wildlife clearances by the NBWL. She went to the extent of threatening regulators, media and civil society by saying that “anyone opposing the project is committing national crime”.

The project gets a go ahead

Though the 9000-crore project had received ‘in-principle’ clearance, the funds were to be cleared by the union cabinet after the multi-pronged environmental clearance by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change is in order. And for this, a go-ahead from the NBWL’s standing committee was vital.

The project was approved with a few riders. The dam reservoir area is to be retained as core tiger reserve with minimum activities. No fishing will be allowed at the dam site and no new mining leases will be allowed on tiger-dispersal routes. A landscape-based plan for the area will be finalised. The National Tiger Conservation Authority, a body meant to protect tiger-bearing areas has recommended that areas near to Panna that bear tiger population be classified as tiger reserve to compensate for the loss.

The wildlife activists are not satisfied. Activist Ajay Dubey is expected to approach the National Green Tribunal against it. SANDRP claims that the project’s EIA was unscientific and inadequate on several grounds, the main being the absence of a section on biodiversity impact assessment.

The ministry disagrees. It was reported as saying, “The project will in fact make green the denuded forests of the Panna reserve and create fresh water reservoirs and attract herbivores which would serve as prey for tigers. Moreover, only one tiger and her cubs roam the region of the reserve that will be inundated and it will not face obstacles in its territory”.

The union water resources ministry has told the NBWL about the various measures in place to ensure that the tiger habitat is not damaged. As per a recent newspaper report, the ministry maintains that “impounded water from the Daudhan dam will increase prey for the big cats”.

The essence of a river is its ebb and flow. Taming free-flowing rivers by building massive dams poses a threat to the rivers, the ecology and the communities that live by them. Both the environmental and forest clearance of the project are due and they are likely to be pushed by the ministry of water resources without any exhaustive assessment. Turnarounds now are unlikely and Panna has little hope.

It’s a battle that dates back to 1957. Two states of India--Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Odisha--have fought fiercely over the water of the Mahanadi they share. When Chhattisgarh was carved out of MP in 2000, it inherited both the Mahanadi and the conflict with Odisha over its water. To put things in perspective, the Mahanadi has a total catchment area of 1,41,600 square kilometres, of which 53.9 percent is in Chhattisgarh, 45.73 percent in Odisha and a very small part in Madhya Pradesh. 

This time around, the conflict between the states is over Chhattisgarh’s plan to build barrages over the river. Water resources minister of Chhattisgarh Brijmohan Agrawal justifies the government’s action by saying that the barrages have been proposed to check the flood water that flows to the sea unutilised and not to disrupt the natural flow. As per the recent news reports, the chief minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik is against building of dams and barrages on the Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh citing farmers’ welfare as the reason. In fact, both governments cite farmers and their crops as reasons for the face off whereas in reality, it is not the farmers in these states but the industries that use the lion’s share of water. 

The story thus far

Earlier, there was no bipartite agreement between Chhattisgarh (then Madhya Pradesh) and Odisha over the use of the Mahanadi. As the industrialisation in Odisha started much earlier than Chhattisgarh, the Odisha government was free to consume the river water unregulated. Allocating water to the industries was not a problem for Odisha then. Later, when MP began to oppose this, the chief ministers of both the states signed an agreement in 1983 to establish a joint control board. This board, however, never got materialised and the states continued to manage the river in their own ways. 

Before 1991, the industrial use of the water from the reservoir was nominal. But it has increased steadily over time. Going by a report on the data available from the water resources department of Odisha on the water allocation for the industries, the total industrial allocation of the Mahanadi’s water in Odisha has hiked from a mere 13 percent in 2000 to 62 percent now. Odisha’s industrialisation was rapid, to say the least. Since 2002, the Odisha government has signed more than 100 MoU with the industries. The over allocation of water to the industries has affected the irrigation adversely and has led to conflicts between industries and farmers.

Things began changing with the formation of Chhattisgarh as an independent state. Since a major portion of the Mahanadi basin lies in Chhattisgarh, the government of Chhattisgarh wanted to maximise the use of the river. Six hundred check dams were planned to capture 30 percent of the Mahanadi’s flow for industrial, irrigation and domestic use. With the increasing intake of water by Chhattisgarh, Odisha finds itself in dire straits; it can no more draw water as per its wish. It’s neither able to meet the demands of its farmers, nor is it able to fulfill the water demand of industries as per the MoUs. “Industries that are using Mahanadi's water from Hirakud (Odisha) fear that the barrages made in Chhattisgarh will further affect the access and availability of water to the industries and the industrial production in Odisha,” says Alok Shukla, leader of Chhattisgarh Bachav Andolan, a people's forum in Chhattisgarh working on human rights issues.

This tug of war between the states apart, there are other problems that the Mahanadi is facing. A study conducted by IIT Madras found that the river is already silting up heavily due to which the flow of the river has been affected. The water flow has decreased by 10 percent between 1976 and 2000 compared to what it was between 1951 and 1975. “The proposed barrages by Chhattisgarh would affect the flow of the river and would create a barrier for the Odisha government to satisfy the growing water demand of the industries in Odisha,” says environmentalist and water sector expert Manoj Mishra.   

Farmers vs industries

Since 2002, as Odisha started getting more industrialised, the farmers in the Mahanadi basin started facing water shortage. Until 1990, only two major industries were in operation around the Hirakud reservoir. Now there are 26 large iron, power and aluminium plants. The Hirakud dam was built primarily for irrigation and hydropower, but the industries were given priority in water usage. Moreover, the Water Allocation Committee (WAC) of the Odisha government has allocated 1419 cusecs of water to 61 industries and other organisations in addition to those who were allocated prior to the formation of WAC. Out of these 61 industries, 37 are drawing water from the Hirakud dam alone.

From 2005 to 2007, there have been frequent irregularities of water supply to the Sason canal on the left bank of Hirakud dam for irrigation affecting the livelihoods of nearly 60,000 farming families in the Sason canal command area. But, instead of allocating water to farmers, the Odisha government gave priority to industrial growth. Many industrial units such as Vedanta Alumina, Aditya Alumina and HINDALCO were laying pipelines and constructing intake wells inside the reservoir to draw water. The government favour to the industries affected the availability of water to the farmers to such an extent that in 2007, around 30,000 farmers stormed the Hirakud reservoir in Sambalpur to protest the increasing diversion of Mahanadi water meant for irrigation to industries. (Read full report here) Then, to appease the farmers, the government announced that the farmers will have priority over water usage from the Hirakud reservoir, and only surplus water will be supplied to industries. Despite that, the farmers’ struggle for water continues even now. 

“Mahanadi flows 72 km by the Athamalik sub-division (the longest for any sub-division in the state) which is perennially drought-prone. It is more than five decades since the government promised us an irrigation project. Providing water to the farmers has never been a priority for the Odisha government. Most political parties in the country say that the water belongs to farmers, but none take a stand against industries. Why point gun at farmers when the culprit is someone else?” asks senior farmer leader Ashok Pradhan.

With the demand for Mahanadi's water increasing, there is a need to implement equitable water management practices. This is only possible when water use of the industries is regulated in a coordinated way. In July this year, the Modi government had convened a meeting among officials of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Central Water Commission to resolve the issue. The constitution of a joint control board was again recommended. Chhattisgarh agreed to constitute the joint control board, but the Odisha government is yet to give its consent. Meanwhile, let’s wait and watch how this story unfolds in the near future. 

The Bhoj wetland is situated in the heart of Bhopal district in Madhya Pradesh. The wetland consists of two man-made lakes--the upper lake and the lower lake. The upper lake, the oldest among large man-made lakes in central India, was created by king Bhoj in the 11th century by constructing an earthen dam across the Kolans river and the lower lake was constructed nearly 200 years ago mostly from the seepage from the upper lake.

In 1995, the Madhya Pradesh government initiated a Rs 2.5 billion project for the conservation of the wetland with the money borrowed from the Japanese Bank For International Cooperation (JBIC). In 2002, the Bhoj wetland was recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention of 1971. 

As per a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the upper lake has reduced from the initial 30 sq km to 8 sq km now. The lower lake also got reduced from 8 sq km to 2 sq km in 2009. The total length of the lake was 38 km, but it got reduced to 5 km in 2009.

Importance of Bhoj wetland 

The upper lake in Bhopal is an important wetland which is home to more than 700 species of diverse flora like zooplankton, phytoplankton, etc. The wetland is also an important site of avian fauna with more than 150 species of both migratory and resident birds. This rich biodiversity of the wetland has, however, been affected adversely in the last few years due to various anthropogenic pressures and natural calamities, irregular rainfall during the last decade being one of them. 

The upper lake is the principal source of drinking water (40 percent) for the city of Bhopal; the lower lake meets out the requirement of raw water and enhances the beauty of the city. These lakes are ideal spots for watersports like kayaking, canoeing, parasailing and water skiing and attract tourists in hordes. The upper lake is a source of livelihood--both direct and indirect--for many communities including fishermen, boat owners and local vendors.

Problems the lakes face

The last six decades have seen rapid urbanisation near the Bhoj wetland resulting in various environmental problems. The water quality is getting deteriorated from the sewage inflow from urban areas, agricultural waste from rural areas and industrial effluents, apart from the flourishing growth of invasive aquatic plants, depletion of biodiversity and other anthropogenic activities.  

A 2012 survey report, Excreta Matters, released by the CSE says that out of the 193 MLD (Million Liters Per Day)  of sewage officially generated in Bhopal, only 39 MLD sewage gets treated. The remaining sewage goes into water sources like the upper lake which is also a source of drinking water for 40 percent of the Bhopal's population. The lower lake does not have any freshwater source; it receives seepage water from the upper lake and drainage from 28 sewage-filled nullahs. 

As per a study by Current World Environment, a journal on environmental science, the lower lake inhabited about 50 species of microflora and fauna during the year 2000 which was reduced to 31 species in 2011. However, another study conducted by IIT researchers in 2013 on the conservation plan of the upper lake reveals that there is an improvement in the water quality of upper lake after the government implemented the conservation plan over a decade ago.

A study by the Environmental Planning and Coordination organisation reports, “The Bhoj wetland is facing the twin problem of deteriorating or static water quality as well as reducing storage capacity. On the urban side, the water quality has been affected by the inflow of sewage, nutrients and toxins from catchment areas. It is estimated that 9.82 Million Gallons Per Day  (44 MLD) of sewage enters the upper lake daily. More than 80 percent of the catchment is rural and dominated by agriculture. Intensive chemical agriculture is practised in the catchment and chemical fertilisers and pesticides are used in the cultivation. The agriculture runoff from the rural catchment enters directly via streams into the lake, predominantly on the southwest side and flows from the west to the east. It affects the quality of water in the wetlands and is a long-term threat to the health of the lake. Finally, the bulk of the silt inflow takes place from the rural side of the catchment.”

Senior researchers and water experts like Subhash Panday and K. G. Vyas argue that the efforts made by the government are not enough to stop the inflow of sewage into the upper lake. The sewage problem of the colonies residing along the upper and lower lakes have not been addressed properly and stopping the domestic sewage from entering the upper lake from areas like Nehru Park, Gandhi Nagar, CTO, Noor Mahal, Malipura, etc calls for extra effort from the government and the people.

The way forward

To conserve the wetland ecology, there is a need to implement the Bhoj wetland conservation plan properly. Following are some of the main activities suggested by the environment scientists to improve the Bhoj wetlands:

• Dredging and de-silting are required to improve water quality.
• Treatment of catchment area.
• The government needs to develop a sewage treatment management scheme to stop sewage from entering the lakes.
• Solid waste management and other shoreline or fringe-area management activities besides deweeding, aquaculture and installation of floating fountains are also needed.

Read more recommendations here.

“Agriculture is a highly risky venture,” says Nagi Reddy, a farmer in Anantapur. Reddy is a small farmer affected by uncertainty in crop production stemming from unpredictable weather events and pest attacks, especially in his cotton crop. He works on his 2.5-acre farm and the rest of the time, he clocks in as a tenant farmer at an adjacent farm. He scoffs when told about the Centre’s agricultural insurance in 2014.

The government has implemented various crop insurance schemes over the years in order to provide economic support to farmers in the event of a crop failure. The two crop insurance schemes that have been operational in the country even before this agricultural insurance are National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) from 1999 and the more recent Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS). The former covered all food and commercial crops and provided compensation for yield losses due to natural causes. It was modified in 2013 to Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS). The WBCIS provided coverage for paddy crop yield losses due to rainfall only. Both the schemes fell short in financial performance and operational efficiency.

Why is the subscription base so low?

Farmers were in need of a safety net when faced with crop losses. Yet, there was practically no participation of non-loanee farmers in the crop insurance scheme till recently. The saving grace of the scheme were the loanee farmers for whom it was mandatory; credit was provided to farmers by institutional sources like banks only if secured through insurance. Even then, just over 25 percent of the credit taken by farmers is insured indicating a huge implementation gap. Bankers object that crop insurance is not their priority. It prevents them from meeting their priority sector commitments and this explains the low coverage. 

Reddy explains why farmers do not consider crop insurance as a lucrative option. “The sum insured is so low and the premium very high. Usually, farmers have to pay three percent, apart from the interest charged, on the crop loan which could be around three to four percent. Most people find it hard to shell even this amount to cover the associated risks. It is very difficult to prevent sowing and post-harvest losses this way. Also, some farmers who have irrigation are not keen on covering their risks as they feel that irrigation assures their crops,” says Reddy adding that because the yields are assessed at the area level, farmers feel that the local differences at individual farm level are not covered. This leads to poor subscription.

How is the new crop insurance scheme different?

In January this year, the government came up with Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to deal with the mismatch between the risk associated and the profit margins in farming. The farmers can now benefit with both lower premiums and higher sums insured. Until mid-2016, barely a fifth of farmers and 23 percent of the total cropped area in India had been covered under the crop insurance scheme.

For the farmers, the premium has been kept very low at two percent for kharif crops, one and a half percent for rabi crops and five percent for horticultural crops. The sum insured varies from anything between Rs 35,000 and Rs 75,000 depending on the districts. Each state will have one insurance company to do the farm-level assessment of loss for localised risks and post-harvest loss. The Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd and private insurance companies will implement the scheme.

The government aims to increase the subscription base of crop insurance from the present level of 20 percent to 50 percent. This happens to be a major high point. There is a cap on the premium payable by farmers while there is no cap on total premium, the difference being compensated by the government. This has been made possible through subsidy inputs to the farmers all the way through the governmental mechanism.

The scheme replaced NAIS and MNAIS from 2016, just as the country got out of an excruciating drought that affected 90 lakh hectares of land. The government continued with the Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme but its premium rates have been reduced to bring it on a par with the new crop insurance scheme. The scheme covers a targeted 50 million farmers for damages due to unseasonal rainfall, hailstorm, drought, and other natural calamities.

Challenges faced

Launched in January this year, the plan’s success lay in its implementation. The challenge the government faced was of bringing the non-loanee farmers under the scheme. The government had hoped to widen the net of crop insurance but reports from September 2016 suggest that only 2.53 crore farmers have insured their crops so far as against 3.69 crore farmers in 2014-15 under NAIS and MNAIS last year.

If early indicators are to be believed, the states are reluctant to implement the Centre’s ambitious crop insurance scheme. This is because of the excess financial burden the states are expected to bear by way of sharing the premium jointly with the Centre. For some states like Madhya Pradesh, the share of the premium is so high as to account for up to 60 percent of the state’s agriculture budget. This may derail the scheme in its first season itself. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar dubs the crop insurance scheme "anti-farmer" by saying that it will benefit the coffers of insurance companies. States are being forced to pay money from their exchequer in advance and that too at a higher premium, he says. Bihar agreed to implement the scheme on a pilot basis in few districts.

The total annual budgetary allocation by the Centre has been pegged at Rs 5,500 crore for crop insurance, nearly double that of last year. There are some who make a case for private crop insurance as against government-sponsored crop insurance, even though the former is not highly developed. The government outgo on the premium subsidy is very high at present. The scheme promises calculation of loss at the village level, a far cry from the demand of farmers that assessment is done at the level of the individual cultivator.

Reddy is still sceptical of the new insurance scheme. He is among the 80 percent of farmers in India who are not insured. The insurance penetration is abysmal among the farming community in his village Reddygaripalli. “It does not provide succour to farmers in case of crop loss. That is because many of us are tenant farmers, who along with sharecroppers, are not covered under the insurance scheme,” he says.

Pranab Choudhury has been actively engaged with the causes of the poor and the environment for more than a decade. A senior development researcher, practitioner and a consultant at Baitarani Initiative office at Kalinga Nagar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, he focuses on issues related to agriculture, forest, environment and water sector in India and South Asia. 

Earlier, he has worked as a scientist with Indian Council of Agriculture Research for eight years. For his work in developing a participatory watershed model in the tribal eastern ghats, he received Vasant Rao Naik Award for Research Application in Agriculture in 2002. Pranab has more than 50 research papers to his credit which he has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at many international and national conferences. He is the co-founder of Odisha Water Forum and a founder member of Odisha Nadi Surakhsya Samukshya, a group formed to protect Odisha rivers. He has also served as a member of the steering committee of the Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India.

Due to his interest in innovation in the water sector and his belief in futuristic river basin resources management approach, he joined an NGO Shristi that is working on environment and river basin issues in Odisha as project coordinator and started coordinating Baitarani river basin initiatives in Odisha. 

He spoke to India Water Portal about the challenges that the Baitarani river basin faces and the possible solutions to them.

What is the Baitarani initiative?

Baitarani initiative is an attempt to optimise the use of knowledge, research and innovation in the development of the Baitarani river basin. In this initiative, we are trying to engage qualified professionals and volunteers to address issues related to the river basin at different levels like governance, environment, livelihood, forestry, etc.

Why this initiative?

No civil society organisation has so far attempted to bring river basin in India as a management unit in an integrated manner. There were government and NGO programmes around integrated watershed development and actions at the river basin were limited to catchment treatment. There was a need for an inclusive approach towards river basin development through citizen and stakeholder participation.

The inhabitants of the river basin were not aware of their role in its management. Neither were they aware of the implications of the development programmes taken by the government on the basin. There have not been any connection or communication between the upstream and downstream inhabitants and riparian communities along the main stream and tributaries, while the river connected them both longitudinally and laterally. Any form of public dialogue to address the issues around the river basin was absent. Meanwhile, incidents like river-bed rising, floods, mining, pollution, delta-salinity, mangrove-erosion, etc were rising threatening the basin resources and livelihoods. To trigger public debates, concerns and actions around the river basin, there is a need to develop a holistic perspective of the river in the society.

What are the challenges you are currently facing at Baitarani?

There are multiple problems. Baitarani catchment bears high pressure of mining and industrialisation, deforestation and has a vulnerable population of indigenous communities. Thanks to the many embankments and escapes, the delta gets flooded often. There are issues related to access, availability and quality of surface and groundwater, irrigation management, reducing fish catch and diversity, delta salinity and mangrove erosion. 

Based on our assessment of the basin, we had suggested Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) for Baitarani to the government of Odisha along with the constitution of an inclusive river basin organisation (RBO). The government of Odisha had constituted the Baitarani River Basin Organisation in 2012, adopting Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) framework. Baitarani is the first RBO in Odisha which remains on paper and no concrete work has so far been done by the government. The RBO has excluded many stakeholders and focuses more on hydrology and engineering. 

Baitarani's water is increasingly being used for industrial consumption. There are plans to lay two pipelines from Keojhar to Paradeep for transporting iron ore through slurries by making use of Baitarani's water. This would affect the environment and the community life in the area. 

Baitarani is now one of the most heavily polluted rivers. The pollution is not only due to industries; faecal pollution is also a major contributor with no treatment plants of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) along the river. The river is also affected by high levels of manganese and chromium contamination. Hexachrome pollution is a major concern with high concentrations reported at Dhamra confluence, 100 km away from the mining area upstream.

There is a discrepancy in the state and central government data about the water availability in the river basin which is leading to a conflict between the centre and the state government. For example, Ministry of Water Resources says that the catchment area of Mahanadi basin is 141589 sq km whereas the Odisha government data says it is 132100 sq km. There are many similar examples like this.

Why there is this discrepancy in data related to rivers in India?

There is a lack of coordination between various government departments and external agencies that collect data. There is a need to widen data collection parameters, frequency and intensity of collection. We must consider standardising research methodology, decentralising and crowd sourcing data for transparency and efficiency. Data convergence through information available from different sources and management of the information of the rivers is the need of the hour.

Is it possible to revive the rivers in Odisha?

Yes, a positive trend has started. When we started working on issues related to Baitarani, some people's movement and dialogue related to rivers had already started in the Brahmani (part of Baitarani-Brahmani river basin). Over the past decades, we see sprouting of many socio-environmental movements around both big and small rivers. For the first time, the political parties of Odisha and Chhattisgarh participated in people's movement activities on the Mahanadi issue in 2010-11. Now, the government of Odisha is saying that the ecological flow of the river should be maintained. Things are working but the the pace is slow.

What are your recommendations to improve the condition of rivers in India?

• There is a need to conduct an overall impact assessment of all proposed interventions across the length and breadth of the river basin in every 10 years with citizen participation.
• To develop a river basin, there is a need for developing a common platform where engineers, industrialists, common man, farmers, fisherfolks, etc come together and debate, discuss and share their common concerns and suggestions to improve the situation. Right now there is no such platform.
• We need to sit together and develop river basin plans based on water policy with correct data.
• Convergence of data and technology is needed.
• We should take the inhabitants and the biodiversity of the river basin into consideration while charting out development plans.
• There is a need to inform people about all aspect of river basin plan and data because river is the lifeline of the society. Without transparency and people participation, the idea of sustaining and conserving our rivers is not possible.
• We should allow innovation and use technology in developing better rivers for the people.