Alok Rawat stressess for equitable inter-state, intra-state river water agreements

Delivering the keynote address on the topic 'Preventing water wars in Global and Indian perspective' at the India Water Week, 2022 at India Expo Centre, New Delhi, on Wednesday, Rawat stressed the need for controlled exploitation of ground water.

Hyderabad: Former secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Alok Rawat stated that to resolve water sharing disputes among various states there was a need for a equitable inter-state and intra-state river water agreements.

Delivering the keynote address on the topic ‘Preventing water wars in Global and Indian perspective’ at the India Water Week, 2022 at India Expo Centre, New Delhi, on Wednesday, Rawat stressed the need for controlled exploitation of ground water.

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Central Water Commission(CWC) former member Chetan Pandit stated that focus of river water sharing should be shifted from inter-boundary transfer to in-basin requirements on priority. He stated that a large quantity of water from Krishna basin was diverted to the outside basin by undivided Andhra Pradesh of its allocation, and it was the one of the main reasons for the division of the State and formation of Telangana.

Pandit said that inter-basin transfers without addressing the in-basin needs would lead to dispute between the regions based on prescriptive rights and riparian rights.

In another session, Telangana irrigation Chief Engineer V Mohan Kumar presented a power point presentation about “Strategies for demand and supply side management”.

He presented various initiatives of Telangana government in Mission Kakatiya, Rythu Bandhu, use of Technology, prioritized projects, modernization and re-engineering of projects and ground water management, Haritha Haram, State Level Committee for Integrated Water Planning and Management, and Piped Irrigation to achieve creation of irrigation potential of 1.25 crore acres in the shortest possible time frame.