Dr. Suresh A Kulkarni
Secretary,
Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority
Mumbai
Seminar on Reforms in Water Sector :
Implication for Sustained Water and Food Security
22-23rd September 2016, Pune
In India, Interstate and intra-state water conflicts over the sharing of water
have been the bane of water resources development and management
Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka & Tamil Nadu
Hindu, 2003
TOI,14/9/2016
Godavari water dispute within Maharashtra
Source: Z TV
National Water Resources Council (1983)
National Water Board (1990)
WATER DISPUTE TRIBUNALS
WATER BOARDS/AUTHORITIES
1.
Damodar Valley Corporation (1948)
1)
Narmada water disputes Tribunal (1969)
2.
Tungabhadra Board (1955)
2)
Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (1969)
3.
Upper Yamuna Board (1955)
3)
Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (1976,
4.
Rajasthan Canal Board (1958, 1978)
5.
Gundak Control Board (1961)
4)
Ravi-Beas Water Disputes Tribunal (1986)
6.
Bhakar_Beas Mgmt. Board (1976)
5)
Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (1991)
7.
Betwa River Board(1976)
6)
Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal
8.
Ban Sagar Control Board (1976)
7)
Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal
9.
Narmada Control Authority (1979)
10. Brmhaputra Board (1980)
11. Indira Gandhi Nahar Board (1995)
2004)
Water Stress =
Withdrawals/ Available supply
Low (<10%)
Low to medium(10-20%)
Medium(20-40%)
High(40-80%)
Extremely high (>80%)
Arid and low water use
DEFINATION
“The range of political, social, economic, and administrative
systems that are in place to regulate the development and
management of water resources and the provision of water
services at different levels of society"
(GWP, 2003).
DIMENSIONS
Social (equitable use),
Economic(efficient use),
Environmental (sustainable use),
Political (democratic opportunities).
(WWDR, 2003)
ATTRIBUTES
Participation, transparency, equity, effectiveness, efficiency,
rule of law, accountability, coherency, responsiveness,
integration, and ethical considerations
(WWDR, 2006)
(1) the irrigation agency must be financially autonomous,
(2) irrigation staff salaries must come from the fees charged for
irrigation water,
(3) the irrigation agency must be accountable to user groups,
(4) independent Regulatory body to resolve disputes between
irrigation agency and farmers, and
(5) the pricing of water should be related to consumption to
keep costs low
Ref: Gulati A., Ruth S., Meinzen-Dick, K.V. Raju, 2005. Institutional Reforms in Indian
Irrigation, SAGE Publication, India
 Lack of political will or broad leadership support for change;
 Political, bureaucratic, closed-loop and engineering oriented
decision structure;
 Resistance from middle managers or the professional
bureaucracy;
 Vested interests groups oppose to reform;
 Hostile public opinion. Many reforms are opposed by public
opinion even if they are in the broader national interest;
 Silent majority: potential beneficiaries are not organized;
 Lack of social accountability on the part of bureaucracy
(Ref: Charles Batchelor , et al, Water Accounting and Auditing – A Source Book,
FAO Water Reports, 43, 2006 )
Policy Reforms
Water policy
Water Laws and Acts
Maharashtra Irrigation Act 1976,
MMISF Act 2005
MWRRA Act 2005
Maharashtra Groundwater (D & M) Act 2009
Institutional reforms
Irrigation Development Corporations
MWRRA
PIM through WUAS
State Water Board
State Water Council
Office of the Chief Water Auditor
Integrated State Water Plan (under prep.)
Administrative Reforms
Irrigation status report
Water audit Report
Benchmarking of water resources projects
E-Jalseva
Irrigation
Industry
Domestic
Hydropower
120
 Rapid urbanization
103 BCM
3.7
7.2
100
80
50 BCM
40
1.4
5.2
39
20
 Growing industrialization
78 BCM
3.7
7.2
60
 Mounting population
 Rising living standards
 Increasing energy demand
100
Rural
90
80
89.7
67
70
60
50
67
95
Urban
69
73
72
48
40
0
2012
2030
2030P
Water demand and availability scenario
2011
2031
2051
5000
4000
1243
Area
Covered
Thousand ha
666
3000
2091
2000
1000
0
3102
286
No. of
Functioning
WUAs
892
93
258
2000
2005
2010
2015
Area coverage by WUAS
75
%
25
%
Flow measuring device (CTF) at Minor head
Volumetric water supply
90
%
10
%
Groundwater
(micro/sprinkle
r irrigation),
1.5mha, (22%)
Canal irrigation
(state sector),
1.78
mha, (26%)
Total
irrigated area
Groundwater
(surface
methods), 1.5
mha, ( 22%)
Minor
irrigation (local
sector), 0.5mha
, (8%)
Well irrigation
in command,
1.11mha, (17%)
Irrigation from
rivers & nalas ,
0.35mha, (5%)
OBJECTIVE
To facilitate and ensure judicious, equitable
distribution, and sustainable management, allocation
and utilization of water resources,
KEY FUNCTIONS
• To determine criteria for Bulk Water Tariff for
agriculture, industrial, drinking and other purposes,
• To accord clearance to water resources projects
• To act as the State Ground Water Authority,
• To support the enhancement and preservation of
water quality

Equitable distribution of water in the subbasins during the scarcity and distress

To determine criteria for the distribution of
bulk water entitlements to entities by the
RBA, to establish a system of their
enforcement within each category of use and
their monitoring

Monitoring the liquidation of irrigation
backlog in Vidarbha region

Implementation of the Groundwater Act 2009

Preparation and laying of Annual Report and
Audit reports to the Legislative Council and
Assembly
 Equitable distribution of water within a project, sub-basin, basin
{ Upper Godavari, Upper Bhima, Kukadi-Ghod, Girna, Purna
Godavari)}
 Bulk water tariff (India Bulls , Nasik, MADC, Nagpur, Kolhapur MC)
supply)
 Sectoral allocation ( Pawana Project, Hetvane project)
 Supply of irrigation water from tail to head in the project
command
 Efficient use of water ( restricting sugarcane area)
 Entitlement (Perennial irrigation blocks in Godavari, Pravara )
 Preservation of water quality in rivers & water-bodies ( Savitri
River-Mahad MIDC, Nag River, Pawai lake, APMC, Pimpalgaon
Baswant)
 Reasonable water use criteria/norms for domestic use (Pune City)
 Ban on construction of wells in overexploited watersheds
(Amravati, Shirdi)
Sugarcane area in Maharashtra : 10 lakh ha
Out of command
4.3 lakh ha
(43%)
Flow
irrigated,
7.6 lakh
ha, (76%)
In command
5.7 lakh ha
(57%)
Drip
irrigated,
2.4 lakh
ha, (24%)
Source: WRD (2013-14)
Source: Agril. Dept., 2016)
Pilots in eight irrigation projects across the state;
Challenges: New dis-net, On-farm storages, reliable power supply,
scattered perennial crops, mix of flow & pressurized irrigation,
financial support, field level monitoring.
Will there be real water saving ?
 Population : 115 million (2011)

Inadequate sewerage system to collect
sewage generated

Inadequate sewage treatment capacity


STPs not operating at their full capacity
Rivers, water bodies, and groundwater is
being polluted due to disposal of untreated
sewage
Low water pricing leading to inadequate
recovery of cost of STPs
A few MCs are charging for wastewater
treatment and disposal, but not treating
adequately
 Urban Population : 42%
 No. of Municipal Corporations: 27
With treatment facility =17
W/O treatment facility = 10
 No. of Municipal Councils : 225
 Wastewater Generated : 6,383 MLD
(Municipal corporations)
 Wastewater treatment capacity: 58%


Objective: Sustainable and equitable groundwater supply and regulation
with community participation
•
Ensure registration of well owners in the State
•
Notify critical, overexploited and quality affected
watershed areas and villages therein
•
Establish Watershed Water Resource Committees
(WWRC) in notified areas.
•
Prohibit drilling of deep wells ( > 60 m) in the State
for agriculture and industrial use
•
Issue directives to District Authorities for imposing
prohibition on pumping of groundwater from existing
deep wells and levy cess on them
•
Ensure implementation of Integrated Watershed
Development and Management Plan (IWDMP)
•
Promote mass awareness and training programmes
for WWRCs and stakeholders for groundwater
recharging
 MWRRA to be made autonomous – effect amendments to the Act at the
earliest
 Enabling enforcement mechanisms of orders of the Authority by
strengthening Section 26
 Include overriding effect clause in the Act (on the line of MERC Act)
 Empowering MWRRA with enforcement of measures for improvement &
preservation of water quality
 Increasing focus on domestic & industrial water use sectors
 Revitalizing of GSDA for effective implementation of the Groundwater Act
2009
 Absence of Integrated State Water Plan (IISWP)
 Qualified and trained professionals in water governance and water diplomacy
to tackle the complex challenges.
Thank you for
the
attention
As per the United Nations, by 2050, global water demand is
projected to increase by 55 percent
Inclusion of Water Goal(SDG 6): “Ensure availability and sustainable
management of water and sanitation for all” in the United Nation’s
17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) up to 2030 underscores
the importance of water management and water security.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) predicts looming water crises as
the most global societal risks of concern in the coming decade.