Policies, Laws and Regulations

The Chhattisgarh ground water (regulation and control of development and management) bill, 2012
This article presents the details of the groundwater bill Posted on 03 Jul, 2012 10:48 AM

This document by Government of Chattisgarh spells out the characteristic features of the Chhattisgarh’s ground water bill.  This bill is meant to regulate and development of groundwater and matters connected with it. The bill was enacted by the state legislature in 2012.

Draft National Water Policy (2012) fails to take into account the multiple, complex problems and issues relating to water in India says M S Vani
The Draft National Water Policy 2012 seems to be an improvement over earlier versions due to a fundamental shift from the ‘project oriented’ approach espoused so far by the bureaucracy and political establishment to a ‘resource’ oriented approach. Water, considered state property due to eminent domain principle, was hitherto seen only in terms of projects- irrigation or multipurpose. Now at least it is defined as a ‘natural resource’.
But what does it really mean, to call water as a ‘natural resource’? What is the relationship we as humans are seeking to establish with this part of nature? What are the relative roles of citizen and state in India towards this resource?
Posted on 18 Mar, 2012 05:49 PM

Guest post by: M S Vani

Perusing the draft, one comes across all the ‘right’ concepts, words liberally sprinkled throughout the document, describing the resource:-

  • Natural resource
  • Hydrological cycle
  • Ecological needs of rivers
  • Climate change
  • Sources pollution

and our intended response to it :-

In India, water problems are 'man made': Comments on the draft water policy-2012
“Man has the fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being, and he bears a solemn responsibility to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations.” Principle 1, The Stockholm Declaration Posted on 29 Feb, 2012 11:02 AM

Author : Nagesh Hegde

Draft National Water Policy 2012 - Dialogue organised by NEER Foundation, Meerut on February 18, 2012
The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), Government of India (GoI) has recently prepared a National Water Policy whose draft has been put up on the Ministry's website for public comments by February 27, 2012. The MoWR also stated that it would incorporate reasonable comments and suggestions into the new water policy after discussions. NEER Foundation, Meerut organized a one day intensive dialogue on February 18, 2012 at Hotel Crystal Palace, Meerut on the policy draft in which experts from across the country and farmers participated. Posted on 27 Feb, 2012 10:07 AM

Guest post by: Raman Kant Tyagi

Meeting

"In search of old ideas" - A discussion of the draft national water policy 2012, by Jayanta Bandopadhyay in The Telegraph
In this article published in the Telegraph Jayanta Bandopadhyay discusses the draft national water policy 2012. Posted on 22 Feb, 2012 05:05 PM

Author: Jayanta Bandopadhyay

Article and image courtesy: The Telegraph

New water policy more contentious; least helpful in tackling existing issues
The new water policy (NWP) draft 2012 is reportedly replete with more contentious issues and least helpful in tackling existing issues. The formulation of new draft policy has been facilitated in an undemocratic way sans participation of all stakeholders. Undoubtedly the draft explicitly states that water needs to be managed as a community resource held by the state under public trust doctrine, but concurrently it underscores the need to treat water as an “economic good”. Instead of treating water as ‘economic good’, it should be treated as sustainable development instrument. Posted on 22 Feb, 2012 12:34 PM

Author : Dr. Arvind Kumar

Draft of the National Water Policy 2012 released by the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) on 31st January 2012 invites comments from the general public till 29th Feb 2012
The Draft National Water Policy 2011 was released on 31st January 2012, for public comments and is available here. Posted on 01 Feb, 2012 02:01 PM

A section of the water sector practitioners and experts, have been engaged in the process, and a summary of the discussions so far, is available here.

Performance audit of water pollution in India – A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India
This report of the CAG deals with the results of the performance audit of water pollution in India for the year ended March 2011. Posted on 03 Jan, 2012 11:44 AM

RiversThe issue was examined by CAG because various stakeholders working in the field of environment flagged water pollution as the most important environmental issue that concerns us. 

The audit was conducted through document analysis, collection of responses to questionnaires, physical collection and testing of samples. The results of audit, both at the Central level and the State level, were taken into account for arriving at audit conclusions.

Alternative National Water Policy by Ramaswamy R Iyer - Comments by Rahul Banerjee
Rahul Banerjee comments on Ramaswamy Iyer's draft a National Water Policy. Posted on 28 Dec, 2011 02:24 PM

Guest Post: Rahul Banerjee

Ramaswamy Iyer has made a commendable effort to draft a National Water Policy that tries to reform the current unsustainable approach to water resource management in this country  (EPW Vol XLVI Nos 26&27 Supplement pp 201). Assuming that this draft is an invitation to a larger public debate on the issues involved I would like to make a few comments on it.

Assam’s strategy and action plan on climate change - Recommendations - First draft - ASTEC (2011)
ASTEC prepares Assam's action plan on climate change. Posted on 07 Nov, 2011 11:20 AM

This report by the Assam Science Technology & Environment Council (ASTEC) contains the compiled recommendation of three consultative workshops organized in Assam University, Gauhati University and

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