WATER WARRIORS
Fighting it drop by drop

Building of water infrastructure needs to be taken up on a war footing, says
Sunny Verma. Scarcity is growing and there is no quick-fix solution

"WATER, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink." This poetic alarm of
the great British mind Samuel Coleridge is considered prophetic in these
days of scarcity which has led to discussions about impending water wars.
One way of preventing such a situation is to promote community systems of
water delivery which is turning successful over large parts of India.

For a country with a long tradition to water conservation - from mighty
emperors to tiny village heads, people from various walks of life took
interest in building dams and lakes - the trend is not new. The need of
moment, however, is early action on water harvest as well as conservation,
considering the current scarcity of water in various parts of the
sub-continent. There are some movements in India that have initiated
community management of water delivery. Some experts feel that these are not
viable models and a long-term strategy to improve water security is
required. In Kerala, for example, some communities in Olavanna in Kozikhode
district, for instance, have formed groups that have been collecting money
and setting up small piped water delivery systems since 1985. "The Olavanna
gram panchayat has also played a good role. Costing around Rs 1 lakh per
scheme, these efforts have been successful in providing water to around 10
to 25 households," says D Dhanuraj, chairman of the Centre for Public Policy
and Research.

According water resources ministry data, per capita availability in
India has come down to around 1,900 cubic meter in 1997 from about 6,000
cubic meter in 1967. "India is in the grip of a major water crisis," says
Tushaar Shah, principal scientist of International Water Management
Institute's (IWMI) South Asia programme and leader of its global groundwater
management initiative.

"Given the dwindling water availability, these community initiatives can
play an instrumental role in building the water infrastructure of our
country," says R K Pachauri, director-general of Energy and Resources
Institute (TERI). In many places, communities have shown some interest for
water management. For example, community borewell system initiated by Sangam
Vihar residents of Delhi, Pani Panchayat (PP) movement in Maharashtra and
Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS) movement in Alwar, Rajasthan.

In crowded areas of Sangam Vihar in Delhi, residents have built
community borewell systems. Over 80% of their water requirements are being
met through these delivery mechanisms. The outcomes of these initiatives are
varied. "The Olavanna model is far more sustainable. In contrast, in Sangam
Vihar, the water level is declining. And there is no community regulatory
body like the gram panchayat in Olavanna," says Swati Puri, former research
associate with the Centre for Civil Society.

Similarly, starting from one Johad (a pond like water structure) in
1985, TBS movement has built over 4,000 water structures till now. And the
PP movement in Maharashtra established 'water rights' for landless farmers.
It allocated water on per capita basis to stabilise production of low-water
using crops. There are now 55 groups functioning under this scheme. Another
example is the 'Water Drip' programme started in eastern Kerala at a cost of
around Rs 25 lakh in 1984. Funded by the Swiss government, this initiative
has provided drip-irrigation facilities to local farmers.

Cautioning the general usability of such models, Shah, however, says: "
These are islands of excellence and cannot be replicated for entire India.
These models generally work around obtaining ground water and not preserving
it; which is, of course, not sustainable." To move towards a permanent
solution, Shah says: "We have to work patiently with a long-term vision.
Educating people about the proper usage of water can go a long way in
solving water scarcity problem." Adds Pachauri: In agriculture and urban
areas, pricing is totally irrational, leading to declining water table. To
meet water needs in future, a pricing mechanism is inescapable."

However, establishing water rights and proper pricing signals can be a
daunting task. For instance, in the Western US and Chile - where local
farmers have property rights over water - it took over hundred years of
legal struggle to establish those rights. "We don't have the luxury of time.
Change is required at the earliest. It's possible to create a market
mechanism for water by educating people about enormity of the problem,"
contends Dr Pachauri. Though the successful efforts of communities cannot be
ignored, but these may not be enough to quench thirst of the entire nation.
If these models are used in tandem with government efforts, like Tehri dam,
perhaps there will be water everywhere, with every drop fit to drink?


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