Lok Sabha Question No. 290 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-15
Subject: Conservation/Recharging of Natural Water Sources
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK, MANSHANKAR NINAMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO . †*290

ANSWERED ON 15 . 03.2018

## CONSERVATION/RECHARG ING OF NATURAL WATER SOURCES

| †*290.                                                                                                                                                               | DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK' SHRI MANSHANKAR NINAMA                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:                                                                  | Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:                                                                  |
| THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA                                                                                                         | THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA                                                                                                         |
| concerned Ministries to monitor the status of natural sources of water and if                                                                                        | concerned Ministries to monitor the status of natural sources of water and if                                                                                        |
| (d) whether any concrete steps are being taken to develop ne w technology for conservation upgradation of conventional water sources and if so, the details thereof? | (d) whether any concrete steps are being taken to develop ne w technology for conservation upgradation of conventional water sources and if so, the details thereof? |
| ANSWER                                                                                                                                                               | ANSWER                                                                                                                                                               |
| REJUVENATION, ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS AND SHIPPING                                                                                                                 | REJUVENATION, ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS AND SHIPPING                                                                                                                 |
| ( SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI )                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                      |
| (a) to (d) A statement is laid on the table of                                                                                                                       | (a) to (d) A statement is laid on the table of                                                                                                                       |

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (D) OF STARRED QUESTION NO †*290 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 15.03.2018 REGARDING ' CONSERVATION/RECHARGING  OF  NATURAL  WATER  SOURCES '  ASKED  BY  DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK'  &  SHRI MANSHANKAR NINAMA, MPs .

(a) to (c) The water sources dry up because of a number of reasons including excessive ext ground and surface water mainly for irrigation and industrial purposes, inadequate recharg the sources (both surface water and ground water) due to insufficient rains, depletion of tree cover undergrowth in forests and catchment areas, etc. The anthropogenic activities such as changes in land use  patter,  cutting  of  slopes  and  natural  factor  (seismic  activities,  temperature  an variab ility due to climatic change) are responsible for drying up of springs and streams p the Lesser Himalayan region.

Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  and  Sanitation  is  implementing  National  Rural  Drinking Programme (NRDWP) through the concerne d Departments in the States by making the drinking wa available  to  the  rural  people  while  drawing/treating  the  water  from  the  ground  or  su resources.

Water  being  a  State  subject,  conservation,  efficient  management  and  recharging  o sources of water are undertaken by the respective State governments. Central Government su the efforts of the State Governments by providing technical and fi nancial assistance through various schemes and programmes such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Mahatma Gandhi Nation Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Repair, Renovation & Rehabilitation of Water Bodies, et

The  steps  taken  by  the  Central  Gov ernment  for  monitoring,  conservation  and  recharging water resources are as follows:

- Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  under  this  Ministry  carries  out  ground  water monitoring four times annually on regional scale and ground water quality monitorin g once i  a year  all  over  the  country  including  Himalayan  region.  The  data  is  shared  with Government.
- During the last three  years, CGWB has constructed 49 Exploratory Wells in the Hi Region for various scientific studies. Out of these, 32 exploratory wells have been handed over to State governments for water supply.
- CGWB has taken up National Aquifer Mapping and Management Program (NAQUIM) in the Country.The  program  aims  delineation  and  characterization  of  aquifers  and  prepara aqui fer management plans to ensure sustainability of ground water resources for al including  agriculture.  The  management  Plans  prepared  under  the  program  are  share concerned State Governments for necessary implementation.

- CGWB has  prepared  a  conceptual  document  titled  'Master  Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to Ground  Water -2013'  which  provides  information  about  area  specific  artificial  recharge techniques to augment the ground water resources based on the availability of source water and capability of subsurface formations to accommodate it. The Master Plan envisages con of about 1.11 crore artificial recharge structures in urban and rural areas at an e Rs. 79178 crore. The Master Plan is available in pub lic domain and has also been circulated t the State Governments for its implementation.
- An  MOU  has  been  signed  between  CGWB  and  Geological  survey  of  India,  Dehradun  fo 'Spring Rejuvenation Studies between North -Almora Thrust and South -Almora Thrust" fall ing in Almora district of Uttarakhand.
- CGWB has been rendering technical guidance for installation of roof top rainwater h systems in Darjeeling, West Bengal and Gangtok, Sikkim.
- Technical  guidance is being been provided by  CGWB to the Army units located in Kargil District  for  Snow  Water  Harvesting  as  a  means  for  recharging  of  tube  wells  /  sp drinking purposes.
- CGWB carries out training programs and IEC activities for capacity building and a creation among stakeholders on the imp ortance of water conservation and rainwater harvest in augmenting the ground water resources.
- The  National  Water  Policy  (2012)  formulated  by  Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  RD  & inter - alia, advocates conservation, promotion and protection of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through rain water harvesting, direct use o other management measures. The National Water Policy (2012) has been forwarded to al Governments/UTs and concerned Ministries/Depa rtments of Central Government for adoption.
- Central Water Commission (CWC) under this Ministry carries out hydrological observa all important / major rivers in the country. This Ministry has launched Developmen Resources Information System (DWRIS) with the objective of development and maintenance o Water Resources Information System which includes collection of Hydro - Meteorological and Water Quality Data, its validation, storage and dissemination to the users for calc availabi lity  in  the  basins,  management  of  water  resources,  planning  and  designing resources structure along and across the rivers, flood forecasting, etc.

(d)The National Institute of Hydrology (NIH ) under this Ministry has undertaken an action rese study  to  rejuvenate  22  village  ponds  in  identified  villages  of  Baghpat,  Ghaziaba Muzaffarnagar districts in western Uttar Pradesh.

Department of Science and Technology has supported following Research and Development (R&D) projects in the area of conservation of conventional water resources:

- Rainwater based community managed sustainable solution for selected water scarce vi District  Mewat  (Haryana)  through  grou nd  water  recharge  by  harvesting  rain  water  and storage  in  community - based  tanks,  which  has  benefitted    families  across  villages  in region of Haryana.
- Under  Amrit  Jalam  Pariyojana,  an  innovative  technical  solution  with  strong  co capacity b uilding component for a cluster of 15 villages of Chirawa block in Rajasthan 19,000 people has been completed to address the challenges of low per capita avail quality  deficit  of  available  water  for  specified  uses  through  two  pronged  ap proach  of  water conservation  techniques  to  recharge  groundwater  and  tapping  of  rainwater  as  alte source for potable water needs using rain water harvesting tanks, recharge wells, wells, ponds, soak pits, improved toilets and appropriat e plantation.

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