Lok Sabha Question No. 3758 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-18
Subject: Depleting Water Table
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Preneet Kaur

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3758 ANSWERED ON 1 8.03 .2021

## DEPLETING WATER TABL E

## 3758. SHRIMATI PRENEET KAUR

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether any policy/strategy has been formulated to resolve the problem of depleting w Punjab and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has conducted any empirical res earch/study to assess the quantity of r water available in Punjab and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to set up any tribunal to assess/ascertain the availabi Punjab; and

(d) if so, the details thereof a long with the estimated time period by which such a tribunal is likel up?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) Water  being  a  State  subject,  initiatives  on  water  management  including  conservation harvesting in the Country is primarily States' responsibility. However, the important measures taken by the Central Government for conservation, management of ground water and effective implementation rain water harvesting in the country are at the following URL:

http://jalshakti - dowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_depletion\_Feb2021.pdf.

Government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019, a time bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water condit water stressed blocks of 256 districts in India including in 20 districts of Punjab. In this regard, team officers from Central Government along -with technical officers from Ministry of Jal Shakti were d to visit water stressed districts and to work in close collaboration with district level of suitable  interventions.  Further,  Minist ry  launched  'JSA -II Catch  the  Rain'  on  21  December  2020  for awareness generation among people.

As  per  information  received  from  Government  of  Punjab  initiatives  taken  by  t sustainable management of the ground water in the State is given at Annexur e- I .

(b)  No  specific  research/study  has  been  done  for  Punjab,  however,  details  of  average availability for the country, basin -wise as per the Central water Commission report entitled 'Reassessment of Water availability in India using Space Inputs' is given at Annexure - II .

(c)  &  (d)The Parliament  has  enacted  Inter - State  River  Water  Disputes  (ISRWD)  Act,  1956  for adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter -State rivers and river valley thereof. Central Gover generally  constitutes  a  Water  Disputes  Tribunal  for  the  adjudicati on  of  the  water  disputes  based  on request from concerned State under the said Act..

Dispute  among  Punjab,  Haryana,  and  Rajasthan  in  respect  of  Ravi  and  Beas  river presently  subjudice  before  the  Ravi  &  Beas  Water  Tribunal.  The  details  in  this  r egard  are  given  in Annexure - III ).

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Annexu re referred to in reply to part (a) of Unstarred Question No. 3758 to be answered in Lok Sabha on 18.03.2021 regarding 'Depleting Water Table'.

## Initiatives taken by Punjab for sustainable management of the ground water in the State

1. Punjab  Water  Resources  (Management  and  Regulation)  Act,  2020  has  been  notified 12.02.2020. The Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority under the Act has een constituted  which  will  work  as  per  the  State  Water  Plan,  to  be  approved  by  the  St Council.
2. State  Government  has  set - up  a  dedicated  Directorate  of  Ground  Water  Management,  with  t prime objective of conserving and managing water resources.
3. Punjab Government has engaged M/s Mekorot, National Water Company of Israel to formu the Water Conservation and Management Master Plan for the State of Punjab.
4. The Punjab Preservation of Sub - Soil Water Ordinance, 2008 - The Ordinance provides for the proh ibition  of  sowing  nursery  of  paddy  before  10th  May  and  transplanting  paddy  befo June.  The  contravention  of  the  provisions  of  the  Ordinance  invites  penalty,  in  addi expenses incurred for destroying the nursery of paddy sown or, transplante d before the specified or notified dates.
5. Diversification from Paddy to Maize under National Adaptation for climate change for - 20 has been undertaken for 2019 - 20.
6. Encouragement  of  Resource  Conservation  Technology  (RCT)  like  Laser  Land  Leveling,  Z Tilling, etc. is being done in farming communities. The State government provides s farmers for custom hiring of this machinery.
7. Medium/Short  Duration  Rice  Cultivars  are  being  promoted  over  long  duration  ones,  t water.Information regarding the same is being disseminated at district, block and villag camps. Further, these varieties are being popularized through demonstration plots.
8. Rain  Efficient  Conveyance  of  Irrigation  Water  through  Under  Ground  Pipeline  S (UGPS): The Departme nt of Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab has prepared action pla underground  pipeline  benefiting  selected  area  during  next  5  years.  The  Depart implementing  schemes  for  promoting  pipe  line  based  irrigation  system  by  providing  f assistan ce.
9. Micro Irrigation: Farmers growing vegetables/horticulture crops and some regions whic conductive  to  paddy  cultivation  are  being  tapped  for  100%  coverage  of  micro  irriga Department  has  prepared  action  plan  for  Drip  and  Sprinkler  Irriga tion  systems  during  next  5 years. 14 clusters of area have been identified, out of which, project proposal for 5 been  submitted  for  funding  under  National  Adaptation  Fund  for  Climate  Change.  Rema clusters shall be taken up under NABARD.
10. 10.Use of Treated Water for Irrigation: Government of Punjab has implemented irrigation projects from Sewerage Treatment Plants of the State.
11. 11.Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting has been made mandatory in all buildings above 200 sq. by amending the buildi ngs by - laws  vide  Notification  dated  28.12.2005.  Roof  Top  Rain  Wat Harvesting is being considered to be made mandatory (outside municipal limits also) in constructed in areas where water table is falling.
12. The  'Paani  Bachao,  Paisa  Kamao'  Scheme  w as  launched  by  Government  of  Punjab  to  check depletion of underground water by offering monetary benefits to the farmers for every unit power they save.
13. 13.Punjab has constructed low dams to provide irrigation facilities under Bharat Nirman Program. These dams facilitate in augmenting the Ground Water Resources of the State & in arre declining ground water table.

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of Unstarred Question No. 3758 to be answered Sabha on 18.03.2021 regarding 'Depleting Water Table'.

Basin - wise Details of Average Ann ual Water Availability in India .

| Sl. No.   | River Basin                                               | Catchment area (sq.km)   | Average Water Resources Potential (BCM)   |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| 1.        | Indus                                                     | 317708                   | 45.53                                     |
| 2.        | Ganga-Brahmaputra - Meghna                                |                          |                                           |
|           | (a) Ganga                                                 | 838803                   | 509.52                                    |
|           | (b) Brahmaputra                                           | 193252                   | 527.28                                    |
|           | (c) Barak & others                                        | 86335                    | 86.67                                     |
| 3.        | Godavari                                                  | 312150                   | 117.74                                    |
| 4.        | Krishna                                                   | 259439                   | 89.04                                     |
| 5.        | Cauvery                                                   | 85167                    | 27.67                                     |
| 6.        | Subarnarekha                                              | 26804                    | 15.05                                     |
| 7.        | Brahmani- Baitarani                                       | 53902                    | 35.65                                     |
| 8.        | Mahanadi                                                  | 144905                   | 73.00                                     |
| 9.        | Pennar                                                    | 54905                    | 11.02                                     |
| 10.       | Mahi                                                      | 39566                    | 14.96                                     |
| 11.       | Sabarmati                                                 | 31901                    | 12.96                                     |
| 12.       | Narmada                                                   | 96659.79                 | 58.21                                     |
| 13.       | Tapi                                                      | 65805.80                 | 26.24                                     |
| 14.       | West Flowing Rivers from Tapi to                          | Tadri 58360              | 118.35                                    |
| 15.       | West Flowing Rivers from Tadri to Kanyakumari             | 54231                    | 119.06                                    |
| 16.       | East Flowing Rivers between Mahanadi and Pennar           | 82073                    | 26.41                                     |
| 17.       | East Flowing Rivers between Pennar Kanyakumari            | & 101657                 | 26.74                                     |
| 18.       | West Flowing rivers of Kutch and Surashtra including Luni | 192112                   | 26.93                                     |
| 19.       | Area of Inland Drainage in Rajasthan                      | 144835.90                | Negligible                                |
| 20.       | Minor Rivers draining into Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh | 31382                    | 31.17                                     |
|           | Total                                                     | 3271953                  | 1999.20                                   |

Source: Reassessment of Water Availability in India using Space Inputs, June 2019.

Annexure referred to in reply to parts (c) & (d) of Unstarred Question No. 3758 to be answ Lok Sabha on 18.03.2021 regarding 'Depleting Water Table'.

1987.

| Name of Tribunal           | States concerned              | Date of constitution   | Present Status                                                                                                                                                             |
|----------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Ravi & Beas Water Tribunal | Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan | April, 1986            | Report and decision under section ISRWD Act given in April, Clarification/explanation sought Tribunal under Section 5(3) of the by the party States. The matter - judice . |

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