Centre to list ‘national rivers’, provide funds

Paucity of funds with the states to complete projects and growing pollution in some of the major rivers has prompted the Water Resources Ministry to prepare a plan that will declare some rivers in the country as national rivers.

Paucity of funds with the states to complete projects and growing pollution in some of the major rivers has prompted the Water Resources Ministry to prepare a plan that will declare some rivers in the country as national rivers.

The ministry is devising scientific criteria to decide which rivers should be adopted and declared as national rivers, Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz told reporters here today. This would imply that the funds to develop an entire river basin would come from the Central Government. Water being a state subject, it is now primarily the responsibility of the state.

Noting that this was “tentative” thinking and that his ministry would not do anything without consulting states, he said the proposal was likely to be finalised in a month. Soz said the interests of riparian states will be kept in mind and they would be consulted in the process.

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“We are devising the scientific criteria so that the rivers receive better attention and proper funding,” he said. The proposal will go to the Union Cabinet for its approval, he said.

Observing that rain water harvesting should become a “movement” and be adopted as a “mission” across the country, he said schools and colleges could be the first targets for a vigorous campaign. Rain water harvesting should be made compulsory in all public buildings, he said.

In a letter to chief ministers, Soz emphasised the need for creating water storage facilities by completing all ongoing projects in a time-bound manner and planning for new schemes. He pointed out the per capita storage capacity in the country was only 207 cubic metres, and this is was relatively low when compared to many other countries.

To set an example for conserving water, Soz suggested to the chief ministers that they introduce small water bottles, say of 200 ml to 250 ml at all conferences, meetings and exhibitions where drinking water is provided. “The big bottle has to go as it represents a culture and taste for wastage of this precious resource,” he said.