DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday approved a 14-point action plan as a part of the Integrated State Water Plan to preserve and replenish groundwater in the state.

Chairing a meeting of the Water Resources department pertaining to Integrated State Water Plan, the Chief Minister said that the plan has been meticulously prepared by the Water Resources department of the state in consultation with all the eminent departments.

He said that the situation in the state is already alarming as 115 blocks of the state out of total 153 are over exploited in terms of groundwater extraction. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the plan focuses on saving the groundwater and enhancing the usage of canal water for various motives.

The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the annual Average of the lowering of water level by 0.7 meter due to extraction of 5.2 Billion Cubic Metre water. He said that it can be done by reducing the Ground Water Demand, Decreasing Agricultural Water Demand, Improving the Techniques of Irrigation, Replenishing the Groundwater and artificially augmenting the groundwater. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that along with it efforts must be made for finding other sustainable Sources, Deep Aquifer Exploration and Promoting Use of Surface water.

The Chief Minister further added that the government has already worked extensively on restoring and expanding the existing surface water infrastructure. He reiterated that the government is duty bound to give water to every tail end user and working on this principle the government has already restored 17,000 water courses with an approximate length of about 6,300 KM abandoned for 30 to 40 years, 79 canals, covering 545 km, have been restored after 30 to 40 years of abandonment. Bhagwant Singh Mann also gave nod for a 14 point action plan as a part of Integrated State Water Plan which includes Effective Irrigation plan for Optimum use of water in the field.

The Chief Minister said that the plan should aim to bring around 15,79,379 hectares area under various water efficient techniques such as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and others instead of conventional irrigation methods to reduce the net water demand and wastage of water by increasing the efficiency. Similarly Bhagwant Singh Mann said that first preference should be given where a working head is available and a pipeline may be proposed instead of open water course. He also said that the plan will focus on restoration of canal water courses thereby ensuring judicious, equitable and sustainable utilisation of surface water.

Further batting for effective utilisation of surface water, the Chief Minister said that as per plan excess available water will be distributed from canal and its distributaries directly to ponds adjacent to canal and distributaries. Bhagwant Singh Mann also said that the water from the pond will be taken to fields through a lift irrigation system, thereby increasing area under surface irrigation adding that construction of check dams and new ponds will be done. He batted for participatory irrigation management by constituting Water User Associations for developing a self-sustainable water ecosystem.

The Chief Minister said that these associations will monitor the water management and issues of farmers relating to water distribution by direct involvement of user's i.e. farmers. Bhagwant Singh Mann envisioned that this will benefit in terms of Canal cleaning, avoid wastage of water, maintenance of canal and water courses. He also said that canal water will be supplied to industries also for which potential users will be identified as it will reduce pressure on ground water.

In order to understand Punjab's deep groundwater system, the Chief Minister also laid stress on Deep ground water study. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the actual situation of ground water in Punjab is not known as there is gap between recharge and consumption adding that study of this gap will help in determining the sustainability and future policy decisions. He said that plan will duly focus on basin management plan as Punjab has different land areas containing varied land characteristics.

The Chief Minister said that while Southwest Punjab has a water logging problem, Kandi area has its own problem as groundwater is very deep due to which a single plan cannot be made for the entire state and has to be formulated in parts which are called basins. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as per plan Punjab will be divided in different catchment areas thereby regulating water flow, soil erosion and retaining essential nutrients. He said that focus will also be identifying Aquifer Characteristics and Topography adding that Rainfall and runoff data will be identified in low lying areas under catchment.

The Chief Minister further said that the plan will also give a push to effectively address the critical areas for minimizing flood damages. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that under the plan Research and studies for Flood Modeling and Mapping, Flood Plain Zoning and Public Participation will be made adding that works like Bamboo Plantation, Vetiver Grass, Source Control, Check Dam and Bundh Construction have also been proposed in plan. He also said that the plan also aims to store flood water of Ghaggar and use it for agriculture use by Constructing check dams by identifying choke points/ Drain points in Ghaggar, where it receives major flow into it.

(editor@dailyworld.in)