Rainwater harvesting,

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Rainwater harvesting,
Licenses for tube wells
No free electricity
What next ? Chetan Pandit Director, Research
Development Ministry of Water Resources New
Delhi, India
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Although I work for the Government, the views
expressed in this presentation are entirely MY
OWN and are NOT to be taken as the official views
of Government of India.
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Falling ground water levels in several parts of
India and other Asian Countries is a mater of
serious concern.

• Several steps are being tried to remedy this
  situation.
• Restrict ground water extraction
• Manipulation of electricity costs for the tube
  wells.
• Programs for Rain Water Harvesting and artificial
  recharge of ground water.

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Is it too early to assess the impact these steps
may have ?
No, it is not too early. The success (or
limitations) of all these steps is already
visible.
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• Restrict ground water extraction.
• Registration for all tube wells.
• Registration even for the drilling equipment.
• Licence/Permit for installation of new tube
  wells.
• Restriction on extraction of ground water if it
  damages the environment.

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• Restrict ground water extraction.
• Restriction tied to damage to environment
• Problems Proving, in a court of law
• That there is unacceptable damage to environment.
  
• Identifying the said damage with a particular
  well or a group of wells.
• Managing such litigation for number of tube wells
  running in to millions.
• Finally, enforcing the court verdict.

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• Manipulation of electricity costs for the tube
  wells.
• Problems
• Managing pressures from interested groups.
• Electricity theft (as the rates increase, the
  user not only continues to over-extract ground
  water but also does not pay for the electricity)
• If all these steps work, there is always the
  diesel engine.

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Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) and Artificial
Recharge of Ground Water (ARGW) Both are good
initiatives and will have beneficial effects.
(before proceeding, it is necessary to make this
statutory declaration, affirming ones faith in
RWH. Because an atmosphere has been created where
any analysis that points towards any deficiency
in RWH and ARGW runs the risk of being twisted
and quoted out of context.)
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Rain Water Harvesting and Artificial Recharge
Problems No quantitative assessment.
Benefits ? Yes
How Much ? Let us pretend this question
does not exist
What is the POTENTIAL for RWH ? What are
Optimistic/ Normal/ Pessimistic estimates of what
is achievable ? What is the expected improvement
in GW scenario ?
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Typical Case Delhi (N India)
June July August September October November Decemb
er January February March April May
Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge of
GW in July-Sep. gets WHAT ?
Higher base flow during winter ?
Higher GW levels NEXT summer ?
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Funny thing is Even though there are no
quantitative estimates, there are many (mostly
the NGOs) who insist that RWH is sufficient to
solve all our water needs for all times to come.
Traditional Technologies Wisdom of
Centuries Catch the water where it
falls Unfortunately, water management is far
more complex than just coining catchy phrases and
slogans.
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• Consider this 100 years ago
• The forest cover, the watershed, the land use,
  all were in a state of pristine glory
• There were no tube wells, no diesel engines, no
  electricity - neither free nor subsidized.
• No widespread farming of water hungry crops, no
  high yielding seeds. etc.
• AND, the population to be supported was one fifth
  of what it is today.
• AND YET

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• AND YET
• 5 million died in the famine of 1896-97
• Drought Famine Death for millions.
• At the time of independence, the nation was
  unable to produce enough food grains for a
  population of just one third of what it is today.
• So, the wisdom of centuries that is said to be
  now dying, when was it last seen alive ?

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To go into further details of that would be a
digression. The point is

• Registration and Licensing for tube wells,
  restriction on extraction of GW IF there is
  damage to environment,
• Manipulation of electricity costs for the tube
  wells.
• Programs for Rain Water Harvesting and artificial
  recharge of ground water.
• Are not going to take us far.

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What Next ?
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1 RD for quantitative estimation of the
potential of RWH The potential of RWH and ARGW
must be investigated and quantified. A rough
estimate may be made quickly, to be refined in a
second round. Without such a quantitative
estimate, no matter how rough, any discussion on
traditional technologies, is as silly as
discussing the backside of the moon.
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2 Surface Water Schemes It is unlikely that
people enjoy spending for the pump set -
electricity may be free - and pump out vast
quantities of water with the sole objective of
lowering the water table. Perhaps people extract
GW only because they need water. Therefore,
supply surface water to the fullest extent
possible. This may help bring about an
improvement in the GW scenario.
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3 Decide ownership of water At some stage, it
will become necessary to deal with the issue of
defining the right to water in quantitative
terms. How much water a person has right to
? Does a person has a right to grow paddy or
sugarcane in a drought prone area by sinking a
deep tube well ?
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4 Indirect Assessment of Water Used. Indirect
assessment of water used should be accepted as an
established practice for any restrictions on
water use. (Example Income Tax and
anti-corruption authorities employ the concept of
found to be living beyond his known sources of
income. How about a concept of found to be
growing crops beyond his allowed quantity of
water ?) Radical Views ? Perhaps. But what are
the alternatives ?
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What are the problems expected ?
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• Problems Expected -1
• RD for quantitative estimation of RWH.
• No problem expected in initiating RD.
• But the outcome may be questioned.
• Because there exists a lobby whose existence is
  based on opposing any surface water scheme. For
  them it is necessary to insist that RWH alone is
  sufficient.
• Usual Ploy
• Do not make any computations yourself.
• Reject any one elses computations.

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• Problems Expected -2
• Surface Water Schemes
• Opposition to surface water schemes
• Due to ignorance about the scheme
• Due to a fear of unknown
• Due to a sincere belief that protecting the
  habitat of a snail is more important than
  providing food, water to billions.
• Opposition as a vocation. A posturing intended
  for the donor constituency.

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• Problems Expected - 3
• Ownership of water
• Indirect Assessment of Water Used.
• Both these are unexplored territory.
• Debate will be very long drawn.
• And bitter. (How about those enjoying a tub
  bath/swim in a luxury hotel in a drought prone
  area should not question growing of sugarcane)
• Any changes will be followed by protracted
  litigation before acceptance.
• Therefore the debate on this should be initiated
  NOW.

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Summary and conclusions. The present steps to
improve GW scenario, through executive process
restricting new tube wells, legislation
restricting extraction of GW IF there is damage
to environment, manipulation of electricity
rates, are not effective enough.
The situation is further muddled by the existence
of a vociferous lobby who insists - with neither
any basis nor credentials - that they have all
the answers.
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Therefore, following steps are suggested Take up
research to estimate the potential of RWH.
introduce some sanity in the debate RWH alone
is/is not enough. Initiate at least a debate -
if not legislative changes - on some fundamental
changes in societys view of ownership of water.
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Neither will have any visible effective on the GW
situation immediately. But eventually no solution
is possible without addressing these issues.
There are only two options. 1 Start it when it is
late. (i.e. NOW) 2 Start it when it is too late.
(tomorrow)
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Thank You!