Water conservationist Rajendra Singh on Tuesday asserted that it was imperative that society at large embrace the need to conserve water and take ownership of resources in order to ensure the revival of rivers and streams.
Speaking at the National Water Rights Convention to discuss the draft of the Right to Water Bill in Madhya Pradesh, he said, “Until now, activists been working alone. But with the government’s support, on the one hand water bodies could be protected, and on the other water use could be made judicious.”
Popularly known as the ‘Waterman of India’, Mr. Singh, who’s advising the State government on the proposed law, said, “Ownership of water bodies among masses has led to the revival of several rivers in a parched State like Rajasthan. With such laws, the model could be replicated across the country.”
Under the law, he added, streams, rivers and other water bodies would be identified, panchayats roped in, people would take the lead and an effort would be made to curb mining on riverbeds.
Pointing to the waning water resources in the State, Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, “11 of the Municipal Corporations and Councils get water once in four days, 50 once in three days and 117 once in two days. It’s a big challenge.”
Mr. Nath observed that despite rain, streams and rivers were drying up owing to negligence. “As many as 65 dams in the State have dried up due to unavailability of water and 164 reservoirs have met the same fate. Instead of moving ahead, we are going back,” he added.
The chief minister said new technologies must be leveraged in devising strategies to conserve water. “Technologies such as producing water from air could be useful. But those valid 20 years ago, aren’t relevant anymore. So there is an imminent need to figure out where new technologies could be used,” he added.
Stating that his political life was inextricably linked to water, Mr. Nath related an anecdote from 1979 in Chhindwara district. “I started my political career due to water problems. One night, as I walked on the road, I met 15-20 women carrying earthen lamps and plates, waiting at a spot for three hours. They said one of their sons couldn’t find a prospective bride as the water source was 12 km away. This was a lesson for me, and I decided to join politics to make my contribution.”
Mr. Nath cautioned that the next generation would not forgive the current one for its negligence. “During the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, I had said the talk of environment and forests was incomplete without the issue of water being raised.”
