Water for all

National water integration Movement Through All India River Water linking and through Rain Water Harvesting

CHARTER POINT NO.6:

Water for all

• Agriculture and water needs – a review of the position in India:
  India is an agricultural country with majority of people in our villages engage in agricultural activity. Mostly agriculture depends on the water for irrigation purpose which is supplied from water from rivers, reservoirs, lakes. But the water level in these rivers, reservoirs, lakes etc. is dependent on the rains we receive every year. In some years we have heavy rains leading to floods destroying the agriculture crops. In some years there is draught that too destroy crops and create scarcity of water for drinking purposes of the people due to want of water including ground water.

  In India we have perennial rivers like Brahmaputra, Ganges, Godavari, Narmada, Krishna.  These rivers and its tributaries flow though thousands of kms stretch in each state and the water finally merges into sea. These rivers are mostly flowing in the northern parts of India. In southern India we have Cauvery where the water level depends on the rains and this river water has to be shared by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and there is always river water sharing dispute between these two states.  Similarly there is Narmada river water sharing dispute between Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan
  
   

• All India River Water integration movement:
  Since independence we have been talking of and our great leaders like Mahakavi Bharathi dreamt of linking of all the rivers in India especially Ganga with Cauvery to bring perennial water from north to south. But despite 78 years of independence this linking of rivers is still remaining as a dream for common man, with people in big cities suffers from water scarcity during summer when they run after water tanks and wait in queue to get a pot of water and in many villages people travel long to other villages to get water.

  Our India despite an agriculture country, we still import food grains during draught period.  Also when crops fails due to floods and draught farmers commit mass suicide especially in the Vidarbha region as they could not repay the agriculture debt due to crop failures.

  Though master plan was drawn long back for linking of rivers, the same could not be implemented due to heavy lacs and crores of investment in acquisition of land from farmers for laying river water paths, to construct dams, bridges, culverts, river beds on both sides of water paths etc.
  
   

• How to bring the All India River Water linking into reality?
  If Central Government and all the State Governments come forward to jointly take initiative to link all the rives, we can bring this All India River Water linking project into reality in a simple and cost effective manner and we can bring in real GREEN REVOLUTION in the country.
  
   

• How to achieve this?
  ​If we observe the flow of perennial river waters, though it passes through many states, most of the tasty river waters goes and merges into salty sea waters.   Though environmentalists say that this merging of river waters into sea is to balance the ecology, when the majority of the land and its ground water level is facing scarcity, this will also create an imbalance in the ecology.
  Hence to bring water to the entire country in a simple way, Government at Centre and all States should take initiative to link all the rivers in India by laying big water pipelines spread throughout the country especially laid mainly along govt. national and state highways, railways and govt. lands spread throughout the country wherever possible and bring these river water to all the small rivers and its tributaries, ponds, lakes, reservoirs spread throughout the country.  These river waters from the pipeline should be released only when the water level in these small rivers, lakes, ponds reduces to the minimum level.  If these rivers/lakes are filled with rain water, no water from this pipe line be used.
  
  This above project of linking of river waters throughout India though water pipeline is advantageous because
  1). It reduces the cost of acquisition of land throughout the country and avoid paying compensation for it
  2). It avoids spending funds requirement of constructing big dams, bridges, culverts
  3). It enables to lay the water pipeline faster and we can bring all India river waters throughout India at a fast phase with least cost
  4). Water can flow through the entire country throughout the year that will bring permanent solution to the water needs for drinking, irrigation and industrial purposes.
  5). Government should lay drinking water pipe line and overhead tanks in each and every ward level throughout the country even to the remotest villages so that people get drinking water all through the year without any problem
  6). When the entire country is filled with perennial waters, the entire land can be utilized for agriculture we can visualize a real GREEN REVOLUTION in the country
  7). Also these water will contribute for industrial development that tremendously contribute for the economic development of the country and it creates lot of employment opportunity for the job seeking people which will increase the per capital income of all Indians and the nation at large and thus make our nation into a developed India.
  
   

• Rain Water Harvesting: 
  In our country the monsoon climate sometime brings heavy rains in some years no rains and scarce rains in some years.  But when heavy rains occurs the heavy downpour of water flows swiftly through the land causing heavy floods destroying the agricultural crops and the property in residential areas and mostly these heavy downpour of waters takes its path through rivers, canals and finally go waste and merge into sea after damaging the crops and property.

  In draught years, the ground water level also goes down with the result people face water scarcity.
  
   

• How to make optimum use of rainwater?
  Govt. should take steps to dig rain water harvesting ponds in government lands in each village, town, ward level of the cities spread throughout the country to store the rain water flowing in that area that conserves the rain water which increases the ground water level in each area and it also reduces the flooding of waters that destroys the standing crops.

  These rain water so harvested can be used for drinking and for irrigation, industrial purposes.Thus by linking of all the rivers throughout India through water pipeline and by doing rain water harvesting as mentioned above, we can
  
  1). Bring the drinking water to the entire country even to the remotest village all through the year
  2). We can meet the water needs for irrigation purposes throughout the year that can bring in real GREEN REVOLUTION in India
  3). We can meet the water needs for industrial purposes that contribute for tremendous industrial growth throughout the country
  4). With the tremendous improvement in agricultural and industrial development, all the job seeking youth in rural and urban areas will get employment opportunities that will improve their per capita income and
  5). Nation at large thus making our nation into a developed India.
  
   

• How to raise funds for implementing this All India Water Integration Project?:
  To meet the project cost for implementing this All India River Water linking through pipeline and for digging of Rain Water Harvesting ponds throughout the country to conserve rain and river waters, Government can raise funds through
  These rain water so harvested can be used for drinking and for irrigation, industrial purposes.Thus by linking of all the rivers throughout India through water pipeline and by doing rain water harvesting as mentioned above, we can

  
  1). Government budgetary funds
  2). By levying nominal water cess as a part of direct and indirect tax for specified period to raise funds
  3). We can meet the water needs for industrial purposes that contribute for tremendous industrial growth throughout the country
  4). By introducing PM National Water Integration Fund and giving 100% tax exemption for individuals, NRIs and corporate to contribute to this fund
  5). From the CSR funds contribution from corporates
  6). From funds raised through World Bank, IMF or international financial institutions
  7). From funds raised through tax amnesty scheme announced to bring out black money