29 Jun, 2013
Indian Minister Voices Deep Concern Over Deteriorating Water Resources
Ministry of Water Resources, 28-June, 2013 – Union Minister for Water Resources Mr Harish Rawat has deep concern over ever deteriorating situation of water resources and stressed on adopting dedicated efforts for the cause of conserving water and serving Humanity. Inaugurating a Seminar on water conservation in NCT Delhi here today he said it is obligatory to frame policies which recognize water as an integral part of the eco-system, a precious natural resource with a social and economic value and to implement these policies for the prosperity and well being of mankind.
Mr Rawat said the effective water resources management must be underpinned by knowledge and understanding of the availability of the resource itself, the uses to which water is put and the challenges facing the users of water at all levels of stake holders. He said this can be done by creating mass awareness on the measures that can be taken to address the challenges affecting every living being. Mr Rawat said, “The most important step in the direction of finding solutions to issues of water conservation in the urban and rural areas is to change people`s attitudes and habits. This includes each one of us”.
Union Water Resources Minister said that the problem of NCT region is compounded by the fact that the population is increasing at a fast pace and the per capita availability of water has gone down. He said the city of Delhi is dependent mainly on the River Yamuna and the underground Water. Furthermore, the groundwater is depleting at a rate more than 0.1 mt. per year depending upon the geographical locations. The city of Delhi not only requires augmentation of water supply but also needs to effectively employee the three cardinal principles of reuse, recycle and recharging.
Mr Rawat said “Unless water conservation measures are taken up at a brisk pace the city of Delhi is going to face more problems in the coming decades”.
Mr Rawat said water resources have for too long been taken for granted, a free resource to be used and abused at will, with little or no regard or understanding of the long-term consequences of their management. The availability of this vital resource is by no means assured for large sections of the world’s population. He said “The situation is alarming, and the present level of awareness is not commensurate with the gravity of the consequential situation”.
The purpose of the seminar is to have deliberations on Water conservation measures that needs to be taken up in the NCT region on priority basis. About 250 delegates from Central and State Government Organisations, Private Sector, NGOs, Schools, Academia, and Public Sector Undertakings are attending this seminar.
This multi-dimensional awareness seminar included four technical presentations by experts from IIT, Delhi, Delhi Jal Board, Central Ground Water Board and NGO working in this field. The outcome of the seminar will help in development of self-consciousness of the individuals as well as the masses on the issue of water conservation and its judicious use. As an impact of the above the message is to make people more conscious of the importance of the limited natural resources of water, the ways and means to use water judiciously thereby contributing to the sustainable use of water resources through collective responsibility.
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