To check groundwater depletion in Punjab, the State Cabinet on Wednesday approved the creation of Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority. The body will be empowered to issue directions on water extraction but will not be authorized to impose any restrictions or tariff on extraction of water for drinking, domestic and agriculture purposes.
For the purpose, the Cabinet has decided to promulgate the Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Ordinance, 2019.
“The proposed legislation is aimed at development, management and regulation of water resources of the State for ensuring their judicious, equitable and sustainable utilization and management,” said an official spokesperson after the Cabinet Meeting.
The Authority would be empowered to issue general directions related to extraction and use of groundwater, besides ensuring optimal and efficient utilization of all water resources in the State, including canal irrigation. It will also issue guidelines on recycling and reuse of water and its conservation.
“Importantly, the legislation does not allow any restriction to be imposed on extraction of groundwater for drinking or domestic purposes. For drinking, domestic and agriculture purposes, the Authority would be guided by the State Government’s policy. It would, however, be required to issue tariff orders for use of water for industrial and commercial use,” said the spokesperson.
Further, the Authority would have the right to impose financial penalties upon non-compliance of its orders or directions. It has been vested with the powers of a Civil Court, and would also be required to present an annual report which would be laid on the floor of the House by the Government, added the spokesperson.
The proposed Authority will comprise a chairperson, who would be a person with ability and demonstrable experience in the field of water and its management with a sound understanding of public administration, law and economics. In addition, it will have two members who would be experts drawn from Water Resources or connected areas of Finance, Law, Agriculture and Economics. An Advisory Committee of five experts would provide assistance, as required, to the Authority in its work, said the spokesperson.
The legislation also provides for a State Council for Water Management and Development, headed by the Chief Minister and comprising Water Resources Minister, Local Government Minister, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister, Rural Development Minister, Finance Minister, Industry Minister and Power Minister.
The Council would be tasked to approve the State Water Plan, which would be based on integrated Water Plans to be prepared for every block.
The Council would also approve the State Water Policy and all other policies related to use and re-use of water in the State. The proposed regulatory Authority would be responsible for implementation of the State Water Plan, said the spokesperson.
The state Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria said that the proposed regulatory architecture had been carefully crafted through multiple iterations to provide functional autonomy to the regulator on one hand, while retaining the overarching role of the State Government in laying broad policy to guide the regulator, on the other.
PUNJAB INCREASES RIVER/CANAL WATER CHARGES FOR NON-AGRICULTURE PURPOSES
Eyeing approximately Rs 300 crore boost to the state’s empty coffers, the Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday decided to revise charges for the use of river or canal water for purposes other than agriculture.
The proposed rates are at par with neighbouring state of Haryana, and the revision is expected to increase the revenue generated from water charges from the existing Rs 24 crore per annum to Rs 319 crore per annum, said a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office.
The decision was taken in view of the fact that the State Government needed to mobilize additional resources, including for maintenance of canal network, which is spread along 14,500 kms across the state and has deteriorated with passage of time.
Most of the distributaries and minors were lined 30 to 40 years back during 1980s, and regular cleaning, twice a year, is required to run the canals efficiently so as to ensure authorized discharge at tail ends, said the spokesperson.
Notably, the Department of Water Resources, apart from irrigation, supplies water in bulk to various institutions such as Thermal Power Plants, Industries, Municipal Corporations etc, through canals and rivers.
Likewise, beverage and bottled water industry, drinking water supply (including railways and army), fish ponds, brick making and water for construction work also utilize bulk supply of water for operations.