Water Management

It describes the efforts undertaken by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to launch a programme to monitor the water quality of some of the lakes in Bangalore so as to focus the attention of concerned governmental organisations to take up remedial measures to safe guard the water bodies of the "Garden City". 

The sources of pollution in lakes are mainly identified as:

Organizer: Indian Association of Hydrologists (IAH)

Venue:  National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee

Description:
Water resources management requires a holistic and integrated view that considers the surface and groundwater together and also the direct human / indirect human needs. The sustainable management of water resources should base on an integrated approach linking development and protection of the natural environment, on the participation of all actors and concerned people and on the recognition of the economic and social value of water. We must promote the integration of all aspects of planning, management and protection of water resources by developing plans which aim to satisfy basic needs and to promote equitable and effective distribution of water resources, ecosystem protection and maintenance of the water cycle. Climate change, land use change and the hydrological variability of water's distribution and occurrence are natural driving forces that, when combined with the pressures from economic growth and major population change, make the water resources management a challenge. Water management plans should consider the best existing practices and the most advanced scientific breakthroughs.

It makes some suggestions on the way in which it may be useful to proceed. The article argues that a new case has now been added to the existing list of river-water disputes and that the issue has turned very crucial as feelings are running high on the Mullapperiyar issue in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and that there is a risk that the dispute might become intractable. The article warns that wisdom is needed to avoid a serious deterioration of the relations between the two states.

Article Courtesy: Trunz Water Systems

Guest post: Ramaswamy R Iyer

This is in response to the comments made by Rahul Banerjee (“National Water Policy”, 13 August 2011) and Chetan Pandit (“Alternative National Water Policy: A Critique”, 10 September 2011) on my article “National Water Policy: An Alternative Draft for Consideration” (25 June 2011).

Epigrammatic Style

Content and Media Courtesy: Video Volunteers

This interactive session with NGOs working on water and river issues was held in continuation of the “Living rivers, dying rivers” series at the request of AusAid. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Ramaswamy R. Iyer, Honorary Professor, Centre for Policy Research and an author of books and articles on water while the lead speaker Dr.