How key political parties plan to tackle India’s water crisis

Numerous studies say that if ever there’s a third world war, it would be over access to water. With climate change making weather unpredictable, India faces a grave challenge, as its share of the world population is 16 per cent with only 4 per cent of water resources.

With elections underway, here are some key promises made by political parties to tackle the water challenge, culled out from their manifestos by the India Water Portal.

Broadly, the Congress and the BJP have a somewhat similar view on the matter, while the Left parties and debutante AAP have stressed on the need for State or community control over natural resources such as water.

The party proposes to launch ‘Green National Accounts’ to keep a tab on the costs of environmental degradation. It promises to clean rivers on a large scale by setting up a special purpose vehicle.

Also, if it wins, it plans to price water in a way that encourages consumers to conserve water.

For drinking and irrigation water for the rural population, the party proposes to set up a legal and institutional framework. It plans to add one crore hectares to the total irrigated area by completing the Water Reforms Agenda of the 12th Plan and establish a new Ministry of Fisheries.

In urban areas, the party promises to monitor the process of natural resource allocation. 

The party proposes to launch the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sinchayee Yojana, with the aim to reduce farmer’s dependence on rains. It will increase irrigated land.

It promises to address the issue of flood control in Assam and river water management.

For urban centres, the BJP proposes to shift the focus from basic infrastructure to public utility services, such as waste and water management. It calls for installing sewage treatment plants to prevent river pollution and setting up of desalination plants for supplying drinking water in coastal areas.

The party also proposes to interlink rivers depending on the feasibility.

This new party on the national scene says ownership of all the major natural resources such as rivers, forests and major minerals will be left with the State, while ownership of rainwater, minor forest produce and minor minerals, will be vested with local communities

It promises to develop local and decentralised water resources through extensive rainwater harvesting, watershed development, small water projects and alternative cropping patterns. 

The party promises to help farmers reduce their dependence on large-scale projects and favours ecologically sustainable agriculture.

The CPI is against leasing out water resources for commercial purpose. Like the Congress, it proposes to create a new Ministry of Fisheries to safeguard the rights of the fishing community. The CPI(M) plans to stop privatisation of water resources and formulate a fresh National Water Policy that emphasises on conserving water.

It also proposes to launch a National Soil Amelioration and Replenishment Programme, along with sustainable management of water resources.

By strengthening the Central and State regulatory authorities, the party proposes to check river pollution, and also favours amendments to the Coastal Regulation Zone Act to protect the habitat and livelihood of coastal people.