Water Resources and Sanitation Vinod Kumar Sharma

Water Resources and Sanitation

Vinod Kumar Sharma

Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai- 400065, (INDIA).
Tel: (91-22) 2841-6531; Fax: (91-22) 2840-5653; E-Mail: vks@igidr.ac.in

Abstract

This paper reviews the state of major sub-sectors of environment in India and examines the effectiveness of policy and other measures adapted to improve their condition. While country’s contribution to global environmental problems such as global warming and ozone depletion may be lower than other transitional economies, the local problems related to air, water, land, etc., within the country, are quite disturbing. Environmental challenges of development strategies are enormous as such issues are no more confined to one discipline or one nation. Thus, to deal with multi-dimensional and multi-national problems, appropriate policies are required at international, national and local levels. It is suggested that environmental policies should be based on facts and rational calculations rather than emotions and debate. If pollution abatement measures are too stringent polluters may not follow them and find alternative ways to bye-pass them. Also, if these measures are too lenient, development processes will go on deteriorating our ecosystem. Therefore, government policies and measures should focus on a strategy that strikes a balance between environmental care and the economic development in the country.

Keywords: Economic Growth, Environmental Laws and Policies, Socio-economic Issues, Sustainable Development, India.

Introduction

More than 97 per cent of the world’s water resources occurs in the form of oceans and only about 2.7 per cent as fresh water bodies including both surface and ground water resources. Thus, fresh water occupies a very small portion of the total water on the Earth in which rivers and lakes do not even get counted as they contribute to a negligible amount (0.014 percent) of all fresh water. Chemically, water is H₂O and since it is regarded as a universal solvent it never exists individually in nature. Nor it is desirable in its purest form as some components like minerals, salts, etc. are required from the health point of view. If any one or more components of water exceed the prescribed limits, it causes water contamination.

In addition to water scarcity, quality of water is also to be considered relative to the proposed use of water. Groundwater quality is also a serious issue as about 85 per cent of India’s population depends on it for drinking and other domestic uses. Leaching of toxic chemicals into the groundwater on account of contamination and over-exploitation is visible in many parts of the country.

Status of Water Resources  

Safe and regular water supply is a necessary aspect of development process. Just as surface water is stored in the form of tanks, reservoirs, lakes within the river or drainage channels, groundwater is stored in the aquifers. This section describes the status of various surface and gound water bodies in the State.

Surface Water Resources

As shown in Table 2.1, the quantity of inland water resources in Maharashtra is about 3.39 lakh ha, which accounts for only 4.93 per cent of the total inland water resources in the country. Since the state has more than 9 per cent of the country’s population, it indicates that the per capita water availability in the state is (MoWR, 2003).

Table 2.1: Inland Water Resources in Maharashtra

Water Resource	Quantity
Rivers & Canals (Length in kms)	16000
Reservoir (In lakh ha)	2.79
Tanks, Lakes & Ponds (In lakh ha)	0.50
Beels, Oxbow Lakes & Derelict Water (ha)	NA
Brackish Water (In lakh ha)	0.10
Total Water Bodies (In lakh ha)	3.39

Source: GoI (2004) NA – Not Available

Urban Situation

Maharashtra has about 250 urban agglomerations, comprising of 22 Municipal Corporations (MCs) and 222 Municipal Councils. Among all categories of urban local bodies only 15.3 per cent satisfied norms, thus, indicating inadequate availability of water. As can be seen from the Table 2.7, even within Class I cities, there is wide variation as the water supply is 272 litres per capita per day (lpcd) in Mumbai as against 158 lpcd in Nagpur (CPCB, 1997).

Box 2.1: Notified River Basins of Maharashtra

·         Agrani River Basin	·         Bombay Island River Basin	·         Ghataprabha River Basin
·         Konkan Coastal Basin	·         Krishna River Basin	·         Kundalika River Basin
·         Lower Bhima River Basin	·         Lower Godavari River Basin	·         Nag River Basin
·         Narmada River Basin	·         Nira River Basin	·         North and New Bombay Basin
·         Patalganga River Basin	·         Satpati Coastal Basin	·         Sukna River Basin
·         Tapi River Basin	·         Ulhas River Basin	·         Upper Bhima River Basin
·         Upper Godavari River Basin	·         Wainganga, Wardha, Penganga River Basin

Source: DoE, GoM (2005)

Figure 2.1: Generation and Collection of Wastewater (mld) from important Coastal States in India
Generation	Collection
Source: CPCB (2002:a)

Figure 2.2: Road Accident Statistics of Mumbai

                    

                                                                                                                                Source: ToI, April 2005

 

Conclusions

·         Maharashtra contributes about 20 per cent to the industrial output and 13 per cent to the GDP of the country as of 2003-04. Per Capita State income at Rs 29,204 is higher than the National Income at Rs 20,989 (current prices). Over the last four decades, the share of the primary sector has declined from 34.4 per cent to 13.4 per cent while that of the secondary sector has remained more or less constant at about 26 per cent; however, the share of tertiary sector has increased from 39.9 per cent to 60.8 per cent.

·         Integration of some of the infrastructure schemes such as construction of roads with the employment and income generation programmes may help in the alleviation of poverty. Medical facilities and provisions in rural areas should also be upgraded. The infrastructure facilities especially power, ports and road network should be improved. Privatisation of distribution of power and water may help in reducing T&D losses, leakages and unauthorised connections.

Recommendations

·         There is a need to provide more and efficient irrigation facilities such as properly managed watershed development programmes, drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, etc.  The export promotion drive would have to be synchronised with the State’s changing crop pattern in agriculture and allied sectors.

·         Department of Industries should introduce such schemes, which focus on total quality management resulting in quality improvement, cost reduction, higher productivity.A marketing strategy is required to address the needs of domestic and international tourists and publicise the tourism potential of Maharashtra through appropriate media.

 

References

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CIPMC  (2005) – Central Integrated Pest Management Centre, Nagpur, Dept. of Agriculture & Co-operation, Govt. of India, ( http://dacnet.nic.in/cipmcnagpur)

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