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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Water bodies’ conservation in focus -Smriti Kak Ramachandran

Water bodies’ conservation in focus -Smriti Kak Ramachandran

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published Published on Oct 17, 2012   modified Modified on Oct 17, 2012
-The Hindu

‘Vision document mooted to designate them as ‘separate urban natural resources’

The Urban Development Ministry has constituted a working group to suggest ways to preserve water bodies.

Rapid disappearance of water bodies from the urban landscape has sounded an alarm vis-à-vis water shortfall and has also put a considerable strain on States’ spending to meet the demand for water.

A case in point is Bangalore. Despite having a Lake Development Authority that is considered a model worth replicating, it is being forced to spend Rs. 3,000 crore a year on electricity, which is consumed for supplying water from the Cauvery. According to official data, about 4 per cent of the city’s metropolitan area constituted water bodies, which dried up on account of urbanisation. The city now has to supply water from the Cauvery and draw on its groundwater reserves to meet the demand.

Reining in local bodies

A senior official of the Ministry said efforts were on to augment the attempt to preserve the water bodies. “There are several water bodies in the urban areas that are a source of drinking water; others are not being used, some others have dried up; there is need to preserve these natural resources. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is already working in the area, but we want to strengthen the efforts to preserve the water bodies in urban areas and see how local bodies can be drawn in to do so,” he noted.

At a recent interaction which the Ministry had with experts from the water sector, it was decided to step up efforts to conserve the water bodies in urban areas. The experts suggested the preparation of a national level ‘vision’ document on urban water bodies, including lakes, to designate them as “separate urban natural resources.”

Recommendation

A recommendation that all States should set up lake development authority to save lakes from contamination caused by sewage was made. Ways to deal with sewage, its treatment and setting up of constructed wetlands was also discussed.

The experts wanted the States to formulate policies on installation of sewage treatment plants in the urban areas using biotechnology, avoid chemical-applications and ensure that urbanisation planned around lakes and water bodies does not encroach on these natural resources.

To rule out ambiguity in the description of a lake in the land use policy, it was suggested to the Ministry that lakes be designated as potential natural resources and given the status of a water body of ecological benefits.

“The Ministry has acknowledged that the fast drying up of water bodies is a challenge, but they also want to see it as an opportunity,” said Manoj Misra of non-government organisation Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, who participated in the interaction.

“The Urban Development Ministry’s intervention and decision to hold workshops and set up working groups on water body conservation and wetlands restoration can help check large scale destruction of the natural resources,” said Mr. Misra.

“The Ministry of Environment and Forests does not cover lakes that are less than 500 hectares in size — a lot of urban water bodies and lakes fall in this category. In the absence of laws and strict watch over them, these natural resources are fast disappearing. There is also need to look at the revitalisation of lakes, which are fed by waste water from the cities,” he added.

The Hindu, 17 October, 2012, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/water-bodies-conservation-in-focus/article4004199.ece


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