Water Crises in India; Water Resource Management is the Key
- A book – ‘A Distinctive Water Management Story – The Rajasthan Way’ authored by Sriram Vedire, Adviser to Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India released
New Delhi, Thursday, 19 September 2019: The world is facing the worst water crisis,
including the Indian States with acute drought, waterlogging and sudden floods.
It is imperative for every state to take necessary steps to resolve issues
surrounding water resource management. NITI AYOG released the Composite Water
Management Index (CWMI) in June 2018 to put forth the prevailing water crisis
squarely in the centre of the public policy space.
Presenting the efforts made by creating about 4 lakh water harvesting structures and
the encouraging results, abook entitled ‘A distinctive Water Management Story – The
Rajasthan Way’ authored by Mr. Sriram Vedire, Adviser to Ministry of
Jal Shakti, Government of India, was launched todayat Dr. BR Ambedkar
International Centre. The book was released at a high profile event graced by Shri
Om Birla, Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha; Shri Prakash Javedkar, Hon’ble
Minister of Environment, Forest, Climate Change, I&B, GoI; Shri Gajendra
Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti, GoI; Shri G Kishan
Reddy, Hon’ble MoS (Home), GoI; and Shri SanjayDhotre, Hon’ble MoS (HRD),
GoI.
This book elucidates the efforts taken by the State of Rajasthan under
the supervision and guidance of Mr. Sriram Vedire, a water deprived state for
their water resource management, processes and the use of technology for
scientific planning. The book throws light on all aspects involved in this
greatest challenge and elaborates the steps taken in planning, execution,
monitoring and review processes.
While launching his book Mr. Sriram
Vediresaid, “I am honoured and overwhelmed to launch my 5thbook
in the presence of such honourable and inspiring personalities. I have tried to
bring in the key areas of work on water resource management that we have executed
in the State of Rajasthan during the past five years. The enormous results seen
in providing water to the poorest of poor in the remotest village in Rajasthan
has been one of the most cherishing moments of my life both professionally and
personally.”
“The thought behind penning down all
the innovative planning and execution practices on effective utilization and
management of water resources that we implemented in Rajasthan is with the aim
of guiding other states with ideas and effective processes to utilize existing water
resources”, he
added.
In the book, the author has also addressed the acute shortage of water
in the desert state of Rajasthan and how they implemented pioneering solutions
in water management by establishing a River Basin & Water Resources
Planning Authority with statutory powers to plan water resources management
with “River Basin” as a unit. The planning included attacking the problem from
both micro and macro levels of planning. Taking river basin as a unit in
planning both these micro level (bottom up approach) and macro level (top down
approach) are covered in the chapter “Water Management with River Basin as a
unit of planning” in the book.
The book is a fine specimen of academic writing, management and
practical experience on critical issues States are facing in today’s world. The
author’s previous books have been lauded by eminent personalities, especially
those who have been catalysts of change in the field of water management
programs and sustainable development. The book launch promised an evening of
high-level deliberations
The Author, also the Chairman of Rajasthan River Basin & Water
Resources Planning Authority, Government of India, has been actively involved
in many other water conservation programs like interlinking of Rivers and Urban
Water Management, ground water recharge, water harvesting, cleaning of River
Ganga to name a few.
Profile of the Author:
Sriram Vedire worked as an Engineer in USA for 15 years and then decided
to move back in the year 2009 to serve his motherland. As a water activist and an
expert, he contributed in developing the policies on ambitious programs like ‘Inland
River Navigation in India’, ‘Making River Ganga Aviral and Nirmal’, ‘Interlinking
of Rivers in India’, and ‘Recharge of Ground Water with Ridge to Valley
Approach’, etc. He also contributed to the ‘National Water Policy 2012’ of the Government
of India.
In September 2014, he was appointed as an ‘Adviser’ to the Union
Ministry for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. He is a
member of the Supreme Court monitored committee on ‘Interlinking of Rivers’
program in India. He is also a member of the Task Force on Inter Linking of
Rivers appointed by the Government of India.
From May 2015 until January 2019, he worked as the 'Chairperson’ of ‘Rajasthan
River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority’ with State Minister rank
during which he implemented state’s flagship water management program
“Mukhyamanthri Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan” (MJSA) and constructed about 4 lakh
water harvesting structures in the state resulting in average increase of
groundwater levels by five feet in twenty one non-desert districts of
Rajasthan. Designed by him, the ‘Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project’ for
Interlinking of Rivers in Rajasthan would meet 100% drinking water needs of the
13 eastern districts of Rajasthan and would irrigate 10 lakh acres apart from
providing water to Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). He also designed
the IT driven ‘State Water Grid’ master plan for the State.
He has already authored four books namely ‘Gujarat's Success Story in
Water Management’, Water Grid of Andhra Pradesh – What makes Telangana state a
must’, ‘Optimal Utilization of Godavari Waters – National and Telangana
Perspectives’ and ‘Climate Resilient Rajasthan’. 💢💢
