Kurukshetra Magazine July 2022 - 5 | Monthly Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazine (English) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


Kurukshetra      July  2022 56
ndia is endowed with a rich diversity of 
natural resources, water being one of 
them. About 71 percent of the earth’s 
surface is covered with water and 
almost all the water on the earth is contained 
in oceans, rivers, lakes, ice caps, as groundwater 
and in the atmosphere. For humans, water is an 
essential requirement and a critical resource for 
the maintenance of socio–ecological systems. 
India’s water availability varies substantially 
across the regions, and over time. Of the total 
Kanchan Puri and Ritesh Joshi 
With continuous rise in population, the demand for water in India is expected to rise drastically. To reduce the burden of 
water borne diseases, clean drinking water is pre-requisite which ultimately help in overall improvement of public health. 
Water resources being finite, its replenishment every year is required and also to be consumed judiciously without polluting 
the sources. It is of utmost importance to periodically assess and monitor groundwater levels to understand availability and 
quality of water resources over time and across aquifers. It is critical that we understand a pro-environmental behavior is 
required to save our precious natural resources.
Keeping Water Resources Clean
rainfall of about 4,000 BCM, 1,260 BCM are 
estimated to be available as the internally 
renewable water resources (https://publications.
iwmi.org/pdf/H041798.pdf). The amount of water 
recommended by the United Nations for drinking, 
washing, cooking and maintaining proper hygiene 
is a minimum of 50 litres per person per day. 
Considering the current environmental issues due 
to climate change, water scarcity is one of the 
major threats. The global warming may affect the 
hydrological cycle which could result in further 
I
Page 2


Kurukshetra      July  2022 56
ndia is endowed with a rich diversity of 
natural resources, water being one of 
them. About 71 percent of the earth’s 
surface is covered with water and 
almost all the water on the earth is contained 
in oceans, rivers, lakes, ice caps, as groundwater 
and in the atmosphere. For humans, water is an 
essential requirement and a critical resource for 
the maintenance of socio–ecological systems. 
India’s water availability varies substantially 
across the regions, and over time. Of the total 
Kanchan Puri and Ritesh Joshi 
With continuous rise in population, the demand for water in India is expected to rise drastically. To reduce the burden of 
water borne diseases, clean drinking water is pre-requisite which ultimately help in overall improvement of public health. 
Water resources being finite, its replenishment every year is required and also to be consumed judiciously without polluting 
the sources. It is of utmost importance to periodically assess and monitor groundwater levels to understand availability and 
quality of water resources over time and across aquifers. It is critical that we understand a pro-environmental behavior is 
required to save our precious natural resources.
Keeping Water Resources Clean
rainfall of about 4,000 BCM, 1,260 BCM are 
estimated to be available as the internally 
renewable water resources (https://publications.
iwmi.org/pdf/H041798.pdf). The amount of water 
recommended by the United Nations for drinking, 
washing, cooking and maintaining proper hygiene 
is a minimum of 50 litres per person per day. 
Considering the current environmental issues due 
to climate change, water scarcity is one of the 
major threats. The global warming may affect the 
hydrological cycle which could result in further 
I
Kurukshetra      July  2022 57
intensification of temporal and spatial variations 
in precipitation, melting of snow and water 
availability. The report on “India’s Initial National 
Communication to the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change” published by 
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate 
Change, in the year 2004 identifies the following 
projected impacts of climate change on water 
resources. 
• Projected climate change resulting in 
warming, increase in sea level and melting 
of glaciers will adversely affect the water 
balance in different parts of India and quality 
of groundwater along the coastal plains. 
• Climate change is likely to affect ground 
water due to changes in precipitation and 
evapo-transpiration. 
• Rising sea levels may lead to increased saline 
intrusion into coastal and island aquifers, 
while increased frequency and severity of 
floods may affect groundwater quality in 
alluvial aquifers. 
• Increased rainfall intensity may lead to higher 
runoff and possibly reduced recharge.
To address these issues, National Water 
Mission (NWM) was devised to ensure integrated 
water resource management helping to conserve 
water , minimise wastage and ensure more equitable 
distribution both across and within states. The 
Mission takes into account the provisions of the 
National Water Policy and to optimise water 
use by increasing water use efficiency by 20 
percent through regulatory mechanisms with 
differential entitlements and pricing. It aims that 
a considerable share of the water needs of urban 
areas are met through recycling of waste water. 
It also ensures that the water requirements of 
coastal cities with inadequate alternative sources 
of water are met through adoption of new and 
appropriate technologies such as low temperature 
desalination technologies that allow for the use 
of ocean water. Also, building public awareness 
through national portals, media engagement, 
civil society involvement, curricula reform and 
recognition / awards is imperative. 
The objective of Sustainable Development 
Goal (SDG) 6 focuses on the sustainable 
management of water resources, wastewater 
and ecosystems so as to ensure safe drinking 
water and sanitation for all. In the 2030 Agenda 
for Sustainable Development, countries have 
committed to engage in systematic follow-up 
and review of progress towards the Goals and 
Targets, using a set of global indicators. Further by 
2030, it is also targeted to improve water quality 
by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and 
minimising release of hazardous chemicals and 
materials, reducing the proportion of untreated 
wastewater by half and substantially increasing 
recycling and safe reuse globally. As per the 
records mentioned by United Nations (https://
www.sdg6data.org/indicator/6.3.1) around 56 
percent of the world’s domestic wastewater 
is safely treated. Wastewater collection and 
treatment help to protect freshwater systems, the 
oceans and also human health. 
Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble 
Prime Minister, Ministry of Jal Shakti launched Jal 
Shakti Abhiyaan. It is a time-bound, mission-mode 
water conservation campaign. The intervention 
areas under this programme include water 
conservation and rainwater harvesting; renovation 
of traditional and other water bodies/tanks; reuse 
and recharge structures; watershed development; 
and intensive afforestation. National Water 
Mission’s (NWM) campaign ‘Catch the Rain’ with 
the tagline ‘Catch the rain, where it falls, when 
it falls’ is to nudge the states and stakeholders 
to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting 
Structures (RWHS) suitable to the climatic 
conditions and sub-soil strata before monsoon. 
Catch the Rain campaign creates mass awareness 
on segregation of grey water (wastewater coming 
from the kitchen, laundry, shower, floor cleaning, 
etc.) and black water (waste water coming from 
toilet) through different drains at household level. 
Also, it focuses on reuse of grey and black water 
separately after providing appropriate treatment 
to them individually for groundwater recharge and 
agricultural purposes. States have been requested 
to open Jal Shakti Kendra (JSK) in each district –in 
Collectorates/ Municipalities which shall act as a 
knowledge centre for the public to get information 
related to water and water sources in the district. 
The activities consists of revival of wetlands and 
protection of flood-banks; protection of water 
Page 3


Kurukshetra      July  2022 56
ndia is endowed with a rich diversity of 
natural resources, water being one of 
them. About 71 percent of the earth’s 
surface is covered with water and 
almost all the water on the earth is contained 
in oceans, rivers, lakes, ice caps, as groundwater 
and in the atmosphere. For humans, water is an 
essential requirement and a critical resource for 
the maintenance of socio–ecological systems. 
India’s water availability varies substantially 
across the regions, and over time. Of the total 
Kanchan Puri and Ritesh Joshi 
With continuous rise in population, the demand for water in India is expected to rise drastically. To reduce the burden of 
water borne diseases, clean drinking water is pre-requisite which ultimately help in overall improvement of public health. 
Water resources being finite, its replenishment every year is required and also to be consumed judiciously without polluting 
the sources. It is of utmost importance to periodically assess and monitor groundwater levels to understand availability and 
quality of water resources over time and across aquifers. It is critical that we understand a pro-environmental behavior is 
required to save our precious natural resources.
Keeping Water Resources Clean
rainfall of about 4,000 BCM, 1,260 BCM are 
estimated to be available as the internally 
renewable water resources (https://publications.
iwmi.org/pdf/H041798.pdf). The amount of water 
recommended by the United Nations for drinking, 
washing, cooking and maintaining proper hygiene 
is a minimum of 50 litres per person per day. 
Considering the current environmental issues due 
to climate change, water scarcity is one of the 
major threats. The global warming may affect the 
hydrological cycle which could result in further 
I
Kurukshetra      July  2022 57
intensification of temporal and spatial variations 
in precipitation, melting of snow and water 
availability. The report on “India’s Initial National 
Communication to the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change” published by 
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate 
Change, in the year 2004 identifies the following 
projected impacts of climate change on water 
resources. 
• Projected climate change resulting in 
warming, increase in sea level and melting 
of glaciers will adversely affect the water 
balance in different parts of India and quality 
of groundwater along the coastal plains. 
• Climate change is likely to affect ground 
water due to changes in precipitation and 
evapo-transpiration. 
• Rising sea levels may lead to increased saline 
intrusion into coastal and island aquifers, 
while increased frequency and severity of 
floods may affect groundwater quality in 
alluvial aquifers. 
• Increased rainfall intensity may lead to higher 
runoff and possibly reduced recharge.
To address these issues, National Water 
Mission (NWM) was devised to ensure integrated 
water resource management helping to conserve 
water , minimise wastage and ensure more equitable 
distribution both across and within states. The 
Mission takes into account the provisions of the 
National Water Policy and to optimise water 
use by increasing water use efficiency by 20 
percent through regulatory mechanisms with 
differential entitlements and pricing. It aims that 
a considerable share of the water needs of urban 
areas are met through recycling of waste water. 
It also ensures that the water requirements of 
coastal cities with inadequate alternative sources 
of water are met through adoption of new and 
appropriate technologies such as low temperature 
desalination technologies that allow for the use 
of ocean water. Also, building public awareness 
through national portals, media engagement, 
civil society involvement, curricula reform and 
recognition / awards is imperative. 
The objective of Sustainable Development 
Goal (SDG) 6 focuses on the sustainable 
management of water resources, wastewater 
and ecosystems so as to ensure safe drinking 
water and sanitation for all. In the 2030 Agenda 
for Sustainable Development, countries have 
committed to engage in systematic follow-up 
and review of progress towards the Goals and 
Targets, using a set of global indicators. Further by 
2030, it is also targeted to improve water quality 
by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and 
minimising release of hazardous chemicals and 
materials, reducing the proportion of untreated 
wastewater by half and substantially increasing 
recycling and safe reuse globally. As per the 
records mentioned by United Nations (https://
www.sdg6data.org/indicator/6.3.1) around 56 
percent of the world’s domestic wastewater 
is safely treated. Wastewater collection and 
treatment help to protect freshwater systems, the 
oceans and also human health. 
Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble 
Prime Minister, Ministry of Jal Shakti launched Jal 
Shakti Abhiyaan. It is a time-bound, mission-mode 
water conservation campaign. The intervention 
areas under this programme include water 
conservation and rainwater harvesting; renovation 
of traditional and other water bodies/tanks; reuse 
and recharge structures; watershed development; 
and intensive afforestation. National Water 
Mission’s (NWM) campaign ‘Catch the Rain’ with 
the tagline ‘Catch the rain, where it falls, when 
it falls’ is to nudge the states and stakeholders 
to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting 
Structures (RWHS) suitable to the climatic 
conditions and sub-soil strata before monsoon. 
Catch the Rain campaign creates mass awareness 
on segregation of grey water (wastewater coming 
from the kitchen, laundry, shower, floor cleaning, 
etc.) and black water (waste water coming from 
toilet) through different drains at household level. 
Also, it focuses on reuse of grey and black water 
separately after providing appropriate treatment 
to them individually for groundwater recharge and 
agricultural purposes. States have been requested 
to open Jal Shakti Kendra (JSK) in each district –in 
Collectorates/ Municipalities which shall act as a 
knowledge centre for the public to get information 
related to water and water sources in the district. 
The activities consists of revival of wetlands and 
protection of flood-banks; protection of water 
Kurukshetra      July  2022 58
catchment area; springshed development and 
management; geo-tagging and making inventory 
of all water bodies; and development of scientific 
district water conservation plans. 
Further, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to 
achieve the objective to provide safe and adequate 
drinking water through individual household tap 
connections by 2024 in rural India. The budget for 
Jal Jeevan Mission in 2021-22 has been increased 
to Rs 50,011 crore from 11,000 crore in 2020-
21. At the announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission 
in August 2019, only 3.23 crore (17 percent) 
rural households were getting tap water supply 
in their premises. However, during the last one 
and half years, more than 4 crore new tap water 
connections have been provided in villages/ rural 
areas. Today, about 50 percent of rural households 
are having tap water supply. This is the speed 
and scale, with which the mission is working to 
change the lives of people living in rural areas. The 
mission has shifted the focus of water supply from 
villages/ habitations to households with provision 
of tap water supply to every rural household so 
that every family gets potable water in adequate 
quantity and of prescribed quality on regular and 
long-term basis. 
The water supply scheme is planned and 
implemented as per a Village Action Plan, prepared 
with participation of the village community and 
approved by the Gram Sabha. Also to leverage 
the new technologies, steps have been taken to 
promote digital governance. Online Jal Jeevan 
Mission dashboard provides status on provision 
of tap water supply in rural areas. Water Quality 
Management Information System has been 
developed using the reports generated from water 
quality testing laboratories. 
To sustain these efforts, we need to be 
careful about the wastage during supply of water 
through pipes, the leaking taps in buildings and 
other places. The limited resources of fertile land 
and freshwater are diminished by non-sustainable 
use. Unnecessary use of water and overdrawing 
groundwater should be avoided. Understanding 
the principles of pond water management and 
aquaculture is needed towards a sustainable 
blue revolution. Increased diversion of water for 
agriculture and industrial sector would require 
enhanced aquacultural water productivity. 
Therefore, integrated water management is the 
need of hour so as to provide clean water to the 
growing population. 
In India, tanks, ponds and lakes have 
traditionally played an important role in 
conserving water for meeting various needs of 
the communities. We have at many places in India 
an age old practice of water storage and water 
recharge like the bawris. Bawri was the traditional 
way of collecting water. As per 5
th
 Minor Irrigation 
Census 2013-2014, there are 5.16 lakh tanks and 
storages in the country as minor irrigation sources, 
out of which 4.62 lakh tanks are in use, and the 
remaining 0.53 lakh tanks are not in use. Many of 
these water bodies have gone into disuse because 
of the development of ground water irrigation 
systems, inadequate maintenance, encroachments, 
less discharge of water, storage not being filled up 
fully, siltation of storage, salinity, drying up, system 
getting destroyed beyond repair, etc. A study done 
by the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore in 
2016 suggested that if Bangalore were to harvest 
its rainwater and to recyle and reuse its water, it 
could meet its entire domestic water requirements. 
There is a need to encourage people to value water 
by creating the right incentives for conservation 
and judicious use. 
Jal Abhyaranya Programme
Mountain natural springs are the main fresh 
water sources which serve nearly 40 millions of 
people across the Himalayas. Springs are areas on 
the ground that show groundwater outflow from 
aquifers below. Also known as dhara, prava, or nola, 
springs hold cultural significance in the Himalayan 
region. It has ecological importance as well for 
providing water to the rivers and providing water 
to communities living in the Himalayan region. The 
inhabitants of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) 
rely heavily on springs as a primary water source. 
Springs form the backbone of communities living 
in Leh, Ladakh and other northeastern states of 
the country. Spring water is used for drinking 
purpose as well as agriculture purposes. From 
an ecology perspective, a substantial amount of 
23.9 percent of surface flow irrigation systems 
are based out of springs in HR. Scarcity of water 
in mountainous regions has always been a matter 
Page 4


Kurukshetra      July  2022 56
ndia is endowed with a rich diversity of 
natural resources, water being one of 
them. About 71 percent of the earth’s 
surface is covered with water and 
almost all the water on the earth is contained 
in oceans, rivers, lakes, ice caps, as groundwater 
and in the atmosphere. For humans, water is an 
essential requirement and a critical resource for 
the maintenance of socio–ecological systems. 
India’s water availability varies substantially 
across the regions, and over time. Of the total 
Kanchan Puri and Ritesh Joshi 
With continuous rise in population, the demand for water in India is expected to rise drastically. To reduce the burden of 
water borne diseases, clean drinking water is pre-requisite which ultimately help in overall improvement of public health. 
Water resources being finite, its replenishment every year is required and also to be consumed judiciously without polluting 
the sources. It is of utmost importance to periodically assess and monitor groundwater levels to understand availability and 
quality of water resources over time and across aquifers. It is critical that we understand a pro-environmental behavior is 
required to save our precious natural resources.
Keeping Water Resources Clean
rainfall of about 4,000 BCM, 1,260 BCM are 
estimated to be available as the internally 
renewable water resources (https://publications.
iwmi.org/pdf/H041798.pdf). The amount of water 
recommended by the United Nations for drinking, 
washing, cooking and maintaining proper hygiene 
is a minimum of 50 litres per person per day. 
Considering the current environmental issues due 
to climate change, water scarcity is one of the 
major threats. The global warming may affect the 
hydrological cycle which could result in further 
I
Kurukshetra      July  2022 57
intensification of temporal and spatial variations 
in precipitation, melting of snow and water 
availability. The report on “India’s Initial National 
Communication to the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change” published by 
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate 
Change, in the year 2004 identifies the following 
projected impacts of climate change on water 
resources. 
• Projected climate change resulting in 
warming, increase in sea level and melting 
of glaciers will adversely affect the water 
balance in different parts of India and quality 
of groundwater along the coastal plains. 
• Climate change is likely to affect ground 
water due to changes in precipitation and 
evapo-transpiration. 
• Rising sea levels may lead to increased saline 
intrusion into coastal and island aquifers, 
while increased frequency and severity of 
floods may affect groundwater quality in 
alluvial aquifers. 
• Increased rainfall intensity may lead to higher 
runoff and possibly reduced recharge.
To address these issues, National Water 
Mission (NWM) was devised to ensure integrated 
water resource management helping to conserve 
water , minimise wastage and ensure more equitable 
distribution both across and within states. The 
Mission takes into account the provisions of the 
National Water Policy and to optimise water 
use by increasing water use efficiency by 20 
percent through regulatory mechanisms with 
differential entitlements and pricing. It aims that 
a considerable share of the water needs of urban 
areas are met through recycling of waste water. 
It also ensures that the water requirements of 
coastal cities with inadequate alternative sources 
of water are met through adoption of new and 
appropriate technologies such as low temperature 
desalination technologies that allow for the use 
of ocean water. Also, building public awareness 
through national portals, media engagement, 
civil society involvement, curricula reform and 
recognition / awards is imperative. 
The objective of Sustainable Development 
Goal (SDG) 6 focuses on the sustainable 
management of water resources, wastewater 
and ecosystems so as to ensure safe drinking 
water and sanitation for all. In the 2030 Agenda 
for Sustainable Development, countries have 
committed to engage in systematic follow-up 
and review of progress towards the Goals and 
Targets, using a set of global indicators. Further by 
2030, it is also targeted to improve water quality 
by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and 
minimising release of hazardous chemicals and 
materials, reducing the proportion of untreated 
wastewater by half and substantially increasing 
recycling and safe reuse globally. As per the 
records mentioned by United Nations (https://
www.sdg6data.org/indicator/6.3.1) around 56 
percent of the world’s domestic wastewater 
is safely treated. Wastewater collection and 
treatment help to protect freshwater systems, the 
oceans and also human health. 
Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble 
Prime Minister, Ministry of Jal Shakti launched Jal 
Shakti Abhiyaan. It is a time-bound, mission-mode 
water conservation campaign. The intervention 
areas under this programme include water 
conservation and rainwater harvesting; renovation 
of traditional and other water bodies/tanks; reuse 
and recharge structures; watershed development; 
and intensive afforestation. National Water 
Mission’s (NWM) campaign ‘Catch the Rain’ with 
the tagline ‘Catch the rain, where it falls, when 
it falls’ is to nudge the states and stakeholders 
to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting 
Structures (RWHS) suitable to the climatic 
conditions and sub-soil strata before monsoon. 
Catch the Rain campaign creates mass awareness 
on segregation of grey water (wastewater coming 
from the kitchen, laundry, shower, floor cleaning, 
etc.) and black water (waste water coming from 
toilet) through different drains at household level. 
Also, it focuses on reuse of grey and black water 
separately after providing appropriate treatment 
to them individually for groundwater recharge and 
agricultural purposes. States have been requested 
to open Jal Shakti Kendra (JSK) in each district –in 
Collectorates/ Municipalities which shall act as a 
knowledge centre for the public to get information 
related to water and water sources in the district. 
The activities consists of revival of wetlands and 
protection of flood-banks; protection of water 
Kurukshetra      July  2022 58
catchment area; springshed development and 
management; geo-tagging and making inventory 
of all water bodies; and development of scientific 
district water conservation plans. 
Further, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to 
achieve the objective to provide safe and adequate 
drinking water through individual household tap 
connections by 2024 in rural India. The budget for 
Jal Jeevan Mission in 2021-22 has been increased 
to Rs 50,011 crore from 11,000 crore in 2020-
21. At the announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission 
in August 2019, only 3.23 crore (17 percent) 
rural households were getting tap water supply 
in their premises. However, during the last one 
and half years, more than 4 crore new tap water 
connections have been provided in villages/ rural 
areas. Today, about 50 percent of rural households 
are having tap water supply. This is the speed 
and scale, with which the mission is working to 
change the lives of people living in rural areas. The 
mission has shifted the focus of water supply from 
villages/ habitations to households with provision 
of tap water supply to every rural household so 
that every family gets potable water in adequate 
quantity and of prescribed quality on regular and 
long-term basis. 
The water supply scheme is planned and 
implemented as per a Village Action Plan, prepared 
with participation of the village community and 
approved by the Gram Sabha. Also to leverage 
the new technologies, steps have been taken to 
promote digital governance. Online Jal Jeevan 
Mission dashboard provides status on provision 
of tap water supply in rural areas. Water Quality 
Management Information System has been 
developed using the reports generated from water 
quality testing laboratories. 
To sustain these efforts, we need to be 
careful about the wastage during supply of water 
through pipes, the leaking taps in buildings and 
other places. The limited resources of fertile land 
and freshwater are diminished by non-sustainable 
use. Unnecessary use of water and overdrawing 
groundwater should be avoided. Understanding 
the principles of pond water management and 
aquaculture is needed towards a sustainable 
blue revolution. Increased diversion of water for 
agriculture and industrial sector would require 
enhanced aquacultural water productivity. 
Therefore, integrated water management is the 
need of hour so as to provide clean water to the 
growing population. 
In India, tanks, ponds and lakes have 
traditionally played an important role in 
conserving water for meeting various needs of 
the communities. We have at many places in India 
an age old practice of water storage and water 
recharge like the bawris. Bawri was the traditional 
way of collecting water. As per 5
th
 Minor Irrigation 
Census 2013-2014, there are 5.16 lakh tanks and 
storages in the country as minor irrigation sources, 
out of which 4.62 lakh tanks are in use, and the 
remaining 0.53 lakh tanks are not in use. Many of 
these water bodies have gone into disuse because 
of the development of ground water irrigation 
systems, inadequate maintenance, encroachments, 
less discharge of water, storage not being filled up 
fully, siltation of storage, salinity, drying up, system 
getting destroyed beyond repair, etc. A study done 
by the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore in 
2016 suggested that if Bangalore were to harvest 
its rainwater and to recyle and reuse its water, it 
could meet its entire domestic water requirements. 
There is a need to encourage people to value water 
by creating the right incentives for conservation 
and judicious use. 
Jal Abhyaranya Programme
Mountain natural springs are the main fresh 
water sources which serve nearly 40 millions of 
people across the Himalayas. Springs are areas on 
the ground that show groundwater outflow from 
aquifers below. Also known as dhara, prava, or nola, 
springs hold cultural significance in the Himalayan 
region. It has ecological importance as well for 
providing water to the rivers and providing water 
to communities living in the Himalayan region. The 
inhabitants of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) 
rely heavily on springs as a primary water source. 
Springs form the backbone of communities living 
in Leh, Ladakh and other northeastern states of 
the country. Spring water is used for drinking 
purpose as well as agriculture purposes. From 
an ecology perspective, a substantial amount of 
23.9 percent of surface flow irrigation systems 
are based out of springs in HR. Scarcity of water 
in mountainous regions has always been a matter 
Kurukshetra      July  2022 59
Case study: Naula and Dhara- Traditional Water Harvesting Systems in Kumaun Himalaya
The Uttarakhand Himalayan region, which is situated in western Himalaya is endowed with natural water reservoirs in the form of natural 
springs/naulas (small aquifer where water deposits through seeping naturally)/dharas (springs)/gadhera (small annual river tributaries). 
Naula and Dhara (commonly called as natural spring or mountain spring) are the traditional water resource management systems, which 
are an important part of the history and cultural heritage of Uttarakhand. Most of the naulas and dharas located in the Kumaun region in 
Uttarakhand were constructed during medieval times to eighteenth century. Naulas exhibit unique architectural features in the Himalayas. 
These historical water sources were once commonly used for drinking water , are slowly dying. Interestingly, these water sources are still 
serving various communities in many hilly areas in the Kumaon region. In order to manage and conserve natural water sources for people, 
small tank like structures are made where water is collected from the porous floor and covered with a rough boundary of stone. As naulas 
have been considered as sacred sites, in order to cover the naulas, temple like structures were also made surrounding the area. At some 
places sculptures of Lord Vishnu or any local deity were also carved onto the walls. Generally, the entrance of Naulas is very small, in 
which only one person can enter at a time. Naulas are crucial to restore ecosystems in hilly tracts.
of concern. The water problems of hilly towns 
like Shimla are a direct result of drying of springs. 
According to estimate, almost all 58,000 inhabited 
villages in Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) are 
dependent on the natural water springs or small 
streams originated from springs, of which at least 
half of the springs are drying up or have witnessed 
decline in water discharge resulting in acute water 
shortages across thousands of Himalayan villages 
and hill towns. According to a Niti Aayog report, 
nearly half of the perennial springs have already 
dried up or are turning seasonal by limiting flow 
only during monsoon. Discharge of springs has 
reduced substantially directly impacting the 
people socially and economically.
Under the National mission on Himalayan 
studies programme of Ministry of Environment, 
Forest and Climate Change, the G.B. Pant National 
Institute of Himalayan Environment is taking 
lead in maintaining the Geo Database of spring 
inventory and developing demonstrative models 
of Gram Jal Abhyaranya in at least one village of 
selected districts of 12 IHR States. It also promotes 
replication of field model for rejuvenation of 
drying springs in the Himalayan states through 
technology and community based approaches 
for providing water security to local communities 
by the year 2024 in collaboration with the state 
agencies. 
Way Forward
According to Shri Sonam Wangchuk (Founder, 
Himalayan Institute of Alternatives), the ice stupas 
are one of the innovative water conservation 
technique which need very little effort and 
investment. These can be used to provide water 
for agriculture and other uses in early summer. 
The ice stupas are formed using glacial stream 
water carried down from higher ground through 
buried pipes, with the final section rising vertically. 
Due to the difference in height, pressure builds up 
and the water flows up and out of the pipe into 
sub-zero air temperatures. The water then freezes 
as it falls to gradually form an ice cone or stupa. 
In late spring the melt water is collected in large 
tanks and then fed onto planted land using a drip 
irrigation system. 
With continuous rise in population, the 
demand for water in India is expected to rise 
drastically. To reduce the burden of water borne 
diseases, clean drinking water is pre-requisite 
which ultimately help in overall improvement 
of public health. Water resources being finite, 
its replenishment every year is required and 
also should be consumed judiciously without 
polluting the sources. It is of utmost importance 
to periodically assess and monitor groundwater 
levels to understand availability and quality of 
water resources over time and across aquifers. It 
is critical that we understand a pro-environmental 
behavior is required to save our precious natural 
resources. Although change in behaviour for 
positive environmental actions can’t be achieved 
overnight, it is a constant process. As rightly 
said by Padma Bhushan Dr. Anil P. Joshi that true 
capital of a nation is its natural resources; future 
demands balance between economy and ecology. 
(The authors are scientists in the Ministry of 
Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New 
Delhi. Views expressed are personnel. Email: puri.
kanchan@gov.in and ritesh.joshi@nic.in) 
Page 5


Kurukshetra      July  2022 56
ndia is endowed with a rich diversity of 
natural resources, water being one of 
them. About 71 percent of the earth’s 
surface is covered with water and 
almost all the water on the earth is contained 
in oceans, rivers, lakes, ice caps, as groundwater 
and in the atmosphere. For humans, water is an 
essential requirement and a critical resource for 
the maintenance of socio–ecological systems. 
India’s water availability varies substantially 
across the regions, and over time. Of the total 
Kanchan Puri and Ritesh Joshi 
With continuous rise in population, the demand for water in India is expected to rise drastically. To reduce the burden of 
water borne diseases, clean drinking water is pre-requisite which ultimately help in overall improvement of public health. 
Water resources being finite, its replenishment every year is required and also to be consumed judiciously without polluting 
the sources. It is of utmost importance to periodically assess and monitor groundwater levels to understand availability and 
quality of water resources over time and across aquifers. It is critical that we understand a pro-environmental behavior is 
required to save our precious natural resources.
Keeping Water Resources Clean
rainfall of about 4,000 BCM, 1,260 BCM are 
estimated to be available as the internally 
renewable water resources (https://publications.
iwmi.org/pdf/H041798.pdf). The amount of water 
recommended by the United Nations for drinking, 
washing, cooking and maintaining proper hygiene 
is a minimum of 50 litres per person per day. 
Considering the current environmental issues due 
to climate change, water scarcity is one of the 
major threats. The global warming may affect the 
hydrological cycle which could result in further 
I
Kurukshetra      July  2022 57
intensification of temporal and spatial variations 
in precipitation, melting of snow and water 
availability. The report on “India’s Initial National 
Communication to the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change” published by 
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate 
Change, in the year 2004 identifies the following 
projected impacts of climate change on water 
resources. 
• Projected climate change resulting in 
warming, increase in sea level and melting 
of glaciers will adversely affect the water 
balance in different parts of India and quality 
of groundwater along the coastal plains. 
• Climate change is likely to affect ground 
water due to changes in precipitation and 
evapo-transpiration. 
• Rising sea levels may lead to increased saline 
intrusion into coastal and island aquifers, 
while increased frequency and severity of 
floods may affect groundwater quality in 
alluvial aquifers. 
• Increased rainfall intensity may lead to higher 
runoff and possibly reduced recharge.
To address these issues, National Water 
Mission (NWM) was devised to ensure integrated 
water resource management helping to conserve 
water , minimise wastage and ensure more equitable 
distribution both across and within states. The 
Mission takes into account the provisions of the 
National Water Policy and to optimise water 
use by increasing water use efficiency by 20 
percent through regulatory mechanisms with 
differential entitlements and pricing. It aims that 
a considerable share of the water needs of urban 
areas are met through recycling of waste water. 
It also ensures that the water requirements of 
coastal cities with inadequate alternative sources 
of water are met through adoption of new and 
appropriate technologies such as low temperature 
desalination technologies that allow for the use 
of ocean water. Also, building public awareness 
through national portals, media engagement, 
civil society involvement, curricula reform and 
recognition / awards is imperative. 
The objective of Sustainable Development 
Goal (SDG) 6 focuses on the sustainable 
management of water resources, wastewater 
and ecosystems so as to ensure safe drinking 
water and sanitation for all. In the 2030 Agenda 
for Sustainable Development, countries have 
committed to engage in systematic follow-up 
and review of progress towards the Goals and 
Targets, using a set of global indicators. Further by 
2030, it is also targeted to improve water quality 
by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and 
minimising release of hazardous chemicals and 
materials, reducing the proportion of untreated 
wastewater by half and substantially increasing 
recycling and safe reuse globally. As per the 
records mentioned by United Nations (https://
www.sdg6data.org/indicator/6.3.1) around 56 
percent of the world’s domestic wastewater 
is safely treated. Wastewater collection and 
treatment help to protect freshwater systems, the 
oceans and also human health. 
Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble 
Prime Minister, Ministry of Jal Shakti launched Jal 
Shakti Abhiyaan. It is a time-bound, mission-mode 
water conservation campaign. The intervention 
areas under this programme include water 
conservation and rainwater harvesting; renovation 
of traditional and other water bodies/tanks; reuse 
and recharge structures; watershed development; 
and intensive afforestation. National Water 
Mission’s (NWM) campaign ‘Catch the Rain’ with 
the tagline ‘Catch the rain, where it falls, when 
it falls’ is to nudge the states and stakeholders 
to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting 
Structures (RWHS) suitable to the climatic 
conditions and sub-soil strata before monsoon. 
Catch the Rain campaign creates mass awareness 
on segregation of grey water (wastewater coming 
from the kitchen, laundry, shower, floor cleaning, 
etc.) and black water (waste water coming from 
toilet) through different drains at household level. 
Also, it focuses on reuse of grey and black water 
separately after providing appropriate treatment 
to them individually for groundwater recharge and 
agricultural purposes. States have been requested 
to open Jal Shakti Kendra (JSK) in each district –in 
Collectorates/ Municipalities which shall act as a 
knowledge centre for the public to get information 
related to water and water sources in the district. 
The activities consists of revival of wetlands and 
protection of flood-banks; protection of water 
Kurukshetra      July  2022 58
catchment area; springshed development and 
management; geo-tagging and making inventory 
of all water bodies; and development of scientific 
district water conservation plans. 
Further, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to 
achieve the objective to provide safe and adequate 
drinking water through individual household tap 
connections by 2024 in rural India. The budget for 
Jal Jeevan Mission in 2021-22 has been increased 
to Rs 50,011 crore from 11,000 crore in 2020-
21. At the announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission 
in August 2019, only 3.23 crore (17 percent) 
rural households were getting tap water supply 
in their premises. However, during the last one 
and half years, more than 4 crore new tap water 
connections have been provided in villages/ rural 
areas. Today, about 50 percent of rural households 
are having tap water supply. This is the speed 
and scale, with which the mission is working to 
change the lives of people living in rural areas. The 
mission has shifted the focus of water supply from 
villages/ habitations to households with provision 
of tap water supply to every rural household so 
that every family gets potable water in adequate 
quantity and of prescribed quality on regular and 
long-term basis. 
The water supply scheme is planned and 
implemented as per a Village Action Plan, prepared 
with participation of the village community and 
approved by the Gram Sabha. Also to leverage 
the new technologies, steps have been taken to 
promote digital governance. Online Jal Jeevan 
Mission dashboard provides status on provision 
of tap water supply in rural areas. Water Quality 
Management Information System has been 
developed using the reports generated from water 
quality testing laboratories. 
To sustain these efforts, we need to be 
careful about the wastage during supply of water 
through pipes, the leaking taps in buildings and 
other places. The limited resources of fertile land 
and freshwater are diminished by non-sustainable 
use. Unnecessary use of water and overdrawing 
groundwater should be avoided. Understanding 
the principles of pond water management and 
aquaculture is needed towards a sustainable 
blue revolution. Increased diversion of water for 
agriculture and industrial sector would require 
enhanced aquacultural water productivity. 
Therefore, integrated water management is the 
need of hour so as to provide clean water to the 
growing population. 
In India, tanks, ponds and lakes have 
traditionally played an important role in 
conserving water for meeting various needs of 
the communities. We have at many places in India 
an age old practice of water storage and water 
recharge like the bawris. Bawri was the traditional 
way of collecting water. As per 5
th
 Minor Irrigation 
Census 2013-2014, there are 5.16 lakh tanks and 
storages in the country as minor irrigation sources, 
out of which 4.62 lakh tanks are in use, and the 
remaining 0.53 lakh tanks are not in use. Many of 
these water bodies have gone into disuse because 
of the development of ground water irrigation 
systems, inadequate maintenance, encroachments, 
less discharge of water, storage not being filled up 
fully, siltation of storage, salinity, drying up, system 
getting destroyed beyond repair, etc. A study done 
by the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore in 
2016 suggested that if Bangalore were to harvest 
its rainwater and to recyle and reuse its water, it 
could meet its entire domestic water requirements. 
There is a need to encourage people to value water 
by creating the right incentives for conservation 
and judicious use. 
Jal Abhyaranya Programme
Mountain natural springs are the main fresh 
water sources which serve nearly 40 millions of 
people across the Himalayas. Springs are areas on 
the ground that show groundwater outflow from 
aquifers below. Also known as dhara, prava, or nola, 
springs hold cultural significance in the Himalayan 
region. It has ecological importance as well for 
providing water to the rivers and providing water 
to communities living in the Himalayan region. The 
inhabitants of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) 
rely heavily on springs as a primary water source. 
Springs form the backbone of communities living 
in Leh, Ladakh and other northeastern states of 
the country. Spring water is used for drinking 
purpose as well as agriculture purposes. From 
an ecology perspective, a substantial amount of 
23.9 percent of surface flow irrigation systems 
are based out of springs in HR. Scarcity of water 
in mountainous regions has always been a matter 
Kurukshetra      July  2022 59
Case study: Naula and Dhara- Traditional Water Harvesting Systems in Kumaun Himalaya
The Uttarakhand Himalayan region, which is situated in western Himalaya is endowed with natural water reservoirs in the form of natural 
springs/naulas (small aquifer where water deposits through seeping naturally)/dharas (springs)/gadhera (small annual river tributaries). 
Naula and Dhara (commonly called as natural spring or mountain spring) are the traditional water resource management systems, which 
are an important part of the history and cultural heritage of Uttarakhand. Most of the naulas and dharas located in the Kumaun region in 
Uttarakhand were constructed during medieval times to eighteenth century. Naulas exhibit unique architectural features in the Himalayas. 
These historical water sources were once commonly used for drinking water , are slowly dying. Interestingly, these water sources are still 
serving various communities in many hilly areas in the Kumaon region. In order to manage and conserve natural water sources for people, 
small tank like structures are made where water is collected from the porous floor and covered with a rough boundary of stone. As naulas 
have been considered as sacred sites, in order to cover the naulas, temple like structures were also made surrounding the area. At some 
places sculptures of Lord Vishnu or any local deity were also carved onto the walls. Generally, the entrance of Naulas is very small, in 
which only one person can enter at a time. Naulas are crucial to restore ecosystems in hilly tracts.
of concern. The water problems of hilly towns 
like Shimla are a direct result of drying of springs. 
According to estimate, almost all 58,000 inhabited 
villages in Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) are 
dependent on the natural water springs or small 
streams originated from springs, of which at least 
half of the springs are drying up or have witnessed 
decline in water discharge resulting in acute water 
shortages across thousands of Himalayan villages 
and hill towns. According to a Niti Aayog report, 
nearly half of the perennial springs have already 
dried up or are turning seasonal by limiting flow 
only during monsoon. Discharge of springs has 
reduced substantially directly impacting the 
people socially and economically.
Under the National mission on Himalayan 
studies programme of Ministry of Environment, 
Forest and Climate Change, the G.B. Pant National 
Institute of Himalayan Environment is taking 
lead in maintaining the Geo Database of spring 
inventory and developing demonstrative models 
of Gram Jal Abhyaranya in at least one village of 
selected districts of 12 IHR States. It also promotes 
replication of field model for rejuvenation of 
drying springs in the Himalayan states through 
technology and community based approaches 
for providing water security to local communities 
by the year 2024 in collaboration with the state 
agencies. 
Way Forward
According to Shri Sonam Wangchuk (Founder, 
Himalayan Institute of Alternatives), the ice stupas 
are one of the innovative water conservation 
technique which need very little effort and 
investment. These can be used to provide water 
for agriculture and other uses in early summer. 
The ice stupas are formed using glacial stream 
water carried down from higher ground through 
buried pipes, with the final section rising vertically. 
Due to the difference in height, pressure builds up 
and the water flows up and out of the pipe into 
sub-zero air temperatures. The water then freezes 
as it falls to gradually form an ice cone or stupa. 
In late spring the melt water is collected in large 
tanks and then fed onto planted land using a drip 
irrigation system. 
With continuous rise in population, the 
demand for water in India is expected to rise 
drastically. To reduce the burden of water borne 
diseases, clean drinking water is pre-requisite 
which ultimately help in overall improvement 
of public health. Water resources being finite, 
its replenishment every year is required and 
also should be consumed judiciously without 
polluting the sources. It is of utmost importance 
to periodically assess and monitor groundwater 
levels to understand availability and quality of 
water resources over time and across aquifers. It 
is critical that we understand a pro-environmental 
behavior is required to save our precious natural 
resources. Although change in behaviour for 
positive environmental actions can’t be achieved 
overnight, it is a constant process. As rightly 
said by Padma Bhushan Dr. Anil P. Joshi that true 
capital of a nation is its natural resources; future 
demands balance between economy and ecology. 
(The authors are scientists in the Ministry of 
Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New 
Delhi. Views expressed are personnel. Email: puri.
kanchan@gov.in and ritesh.joshi@nic.in) 
Kurukshetra      July  2022 60
ivers are undoubtedly one of the most 
ancient sources of water. It is common 
knowledge that the riverine systems 
have sustained civilisations after 
civilisations since the time immemorial. All the 
rivers and their tributaries are conventionally 
and dynamically the source of livelihood and 
help directly and indirectly in sustaining a diverse 
array of sectors –agriculture, power generation, 
fisheries, navigation, transport and tourism, 
poultry and livestock farming, pottery, sand-
mining, art and craft, several small and medium 
scale industries, etc. Rivers also are integral to 
large-scale industries, such as leather industries, 
pharmaceuticals, electronics, textile, paper, 
tanneries, fertilizer, and oil refineries. 
Today, there is an urgent need, especially 
in India, to resolve a looming water crisis that 
threatens to spill over to unprecedented levels. 
Looking from a broader viewfinder, the situation 
can threaten the socio-economic fabric unless 
water supply and flows are uninterruptedly 
distributed across the country. This is where river 
rejuvenation is the need of the hour—which  
must focus primarily on restoring the poor 
health of these overexploited and polluted water  
bodies. 
Notwithstanding massive industrialisation 
post-Independence and ushering in of free-
Rajiv Theodore
River rejuvenation is an effort aimed at restoring poor health of overexploited and polluted rivers and requires an 
understanding of the causes for the poor health and the restoration efforts. Depending on the level of deterioration, river 
rejuvenation aims at a new sustainable healthy river ecosystem that would go a long way in sustaining millions of livelihoods.
Rejuvenation of Rivers
market after economic liberalisation in 1991, 
India’s economy in essence remains agrarian with 
an estimated 65-70 percent of the population 
depending on farmland for sustenance, either as 
a landowner or farm worker.  It means that water 
for irrigation has a direct bearing on not just the 
survival of rural India but also plays a decisive role 
in the country’s food security. While the Green 
Revolution in the 60s enabled vast improvement 
in agricultural productivity, it also unleashed a 
surge in groundwater exploitation by using bore 
wells. Inefficient and unsustainable farming 
practices and loss of forests to farmlands depleted 
the access to water for agricultural and household 
use in rural India.
By 2030, 40 percent of the Indian population 
may not have drinking water if no effective 
measurement, including river rejuvenation, is 
executed. According to the ‘Composite Water 
Management Index (CWMI) report, nearly 600 
million Indians face high-to-extreme water stress–
where more than 40 percent of the annually 
available surface water is used every year–and 
about 2,00,000 people are dying every year due 
to inadequate access to safe water. The situation 
will likely worsen as the water demand will exceed 
the supply by 2050.  The National Institution for 
Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has developed the 
Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) to 
R