Latest news with #DepartmentofWaterResources
Hans India
16 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Odisha govt to carry out water resources census
Bhubaneswar: Odisha government will carry out a census of various water resources in the State for the first time, an official said on Monday. The census is being carried out following the instructions of the Ministry of Jalshakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. The censuses are undertaken through Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) and a web-based application comprising four census-first censuses of major and medium irrigation census and the census of springs, second census of water bodies and the 7th census of minor irrigation. 'This is a unique opportunity for the State to create a comprehensive database of all water resources from the village level to the State level. For the first time, this is being conducted in a coordinated and convergent manner by the Department of Water Resources and Planning and Convergence Department. This is a unique instance of users and producers of the statistics working together to ensure better data quality,' reads the statement. Development Commissioner Anu Garg reviewed the census programmes being carried out in the State which was also attended by senior officials of Water Resources, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, E&IT departments, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Chief Engineer, Minor Irrigation, Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation, Central Ground Water Board and State Groundwater Board. Besides, Superintending Engineers, Deputy Director, DPMUs from all the districts were also present during the meeting held on Monday. The focus of the meeting was on the effective implementation of the irrigation and spring censuses to capture quality data. While reviewing the census programmes, Garg emphasised on coordinated and convergent approach of all the stakeholders for quality data collection so that a comprehensive database of all water resources can be made. This will be a comprehensive database for planning water resources of the State for irrigation, industry, pisciculture, human and animal consumption. She also instructed the Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineerand Deputy Director, Planning and Statistics at the District level to work together to make these census operations a grand success.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislature should reject governor's plan to fast-track Delta tunnel project
The farmland in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta area contains some of the richest soil in the nation. In fact, more than 80% of Delta farmland is classified as 'prime' by the U.S. Department of Agriculture — considered the most fertile in California. But a substantial portion of that prime Delta farmland and the historic and cultural resources surrounding it are now facing a serious threat, because Gov. Gavin Newsom is plowing ahead with his plan to construct a costly and destructive water tunnel directly through the heart of the Delta. Opinion On May 14, the governor proposed to fast-track the tunnel project via the 2025-26 state budget. The governor is proposing to greatly streamline environmental and judicial reviews of the tunnel project and allow the Department of Water Resources to issue whatever massive amount of bond debt is required to pay for the tunnel, which is currently estimated to cost at least $20 billion. The legislature should reject the governor's proposal. Instead, California should pursue less expensive alternatives that would safeguard our main water supply system without causing great harm to it. The Delta currently provides freshwater to an estimated 25 million Californians and 3 million acres of San Joaquin Valley farmland. Under the governor's plan, the tunnel would carry an estimated 1 million acre-feet of freshwater from the Sacramento River in an average year and ship it south to the southern San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. The governor and supporters of the tunnel, known as the Delta Conveyance Project, contend that building it is essential to safeguard against climate change and earthquakes. However, a closer look reveals that the project would inflict devastating impacts on one of the most important agricultural regions in the country. Building the Delta tunnel is expected to take at least 15 years, meaning that much of the Delta region and its 500,000 residents will be at ground zero of a giant construction project for nearly a generation. The project will require massive amounts of earth-moving because the 36-foot-wide tunnel will be 100 to 130 feet underground. In all, the Delta tunnel would be 45 miles long, running from intakes on the Sacramento River near the town of Hood, underneath the heart of the Delta, to Bethany Reservoir, near Tracy. From there, the water would travel through the Tracy pumps to the California Aqueduct and shipped south. The project's own environmental impact report says it will create 'significant and unavoidable impacts' — that will destroy nearly 4,000 acres of prime farmland in the fragile Delta. More than 400,000 acres in the Delta is currently used for farming. In addition, the project will also impact salmon fisheries that are already under extreme duress and tribal resources, including burial grounds. Plus, the town of Hood will be unfairly burdened by the construction of two huge intakes on both sides of this disadvantaged community. California's version of the Big Dig will likely cost far more than the current $20 billion price tag — and all of those costs would be shouldered by ratepayers who are already overburdened by skyrocketing utility bills. The project would be paid entirely by higher water bills and property taxes on the 25 million Californians who would receive water from the tunnel. The Metropolitan Water District, which supplies water to much of Southern California and would be a primary funder of the project, recently raised water rates by nearly 20% and doubled property taxes on its customers. Yet none of those higher rates will pay for the tunnel. Plus, the tunnel project simply isn't worth the sky-high costs. The tunnel can't redirect substantially more freshwater from the Delta because doing so will cause the largest and most important estuary on the West Coast to become overly brackish — too salty for the farms, residents and flora and fauna who depend on it. But there are alternatives that are far more affordable and better for the environment: California can protect both the Delta region and its freshwater supplies against climate change and earthquakes by fortifying the Delta levees, increasing groundwater storage, expanding water recycling and improving water efficiency. Other arid portions of the world have effectively managed their water systems without building extremely costly tunnels. Israel has done it. Australia has done it. California can do it. State Sen. Jerry McNerney is co-chair of the California Legislative Delta Caucus and the legislature's representative on the Delta Protection Commission. His senate district includes the heart of the Delta region.
Hans India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Indus Waters Treaty will remain suspended
New Delhi: The Indus Waters Treaty will remain suspended 'until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism', the Union Jal Shakti ministry has conveyed to the cabinet secretary. In its monthly report to Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan, Debashree Mukherjee -- secretary in the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the ministry -- said the government announced that the treaty would be held in 'abeyance' with immediate effect in the aftermath of the 'Pakistan-sponsored' terror attack on civilians in Pahalgam. 'The key water-sharing treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism,' Mukherjee said in her report. Brokered by the World Bank in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) governed the distribution and use of the Indus river and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. According to sources, Pakistan's Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza had expressed his government's readiness to discuss specific objections raised by New Delhi. However, the Indian government remains firm on its decision to hold the accord in abeyance.
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
IWT to remain suspended until Pakistan abjures support for cross-border terror: Jal Shakti ministry
The Indus Waters Treaty will remain suspended "until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism", the Union Jal Shakti Ministry has conveyed to the Cabinet Secretary. In its monthly report to Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan on Tuesday, Debashree Mukherjee – Secretary in the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry – said the government announced that the treaty would be held in "abeyance" with immediate effect in the aftermath of the "Pakistan-sponsored" terror attack on civilians in Pahalgam. "The key water-sharing treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism," Mr. Mukherjee said in her report. Brokered by the World Bank in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) governed the distribution and use of the Indus river and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. According to sources, Pakistan's Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza had expressed his government's readiness to discuss specific objections raised by New Delhi. However, the Indian government remains firm on its decision to hold the accord in abeyance. The river system comprises the Indus – the main river – and its tributaries. The Ravi, Beas and the Sutlej are collectively referred to as the eastern rivers while the Indus, Jhelum and the Chenab are known as the western rivers. Water from this river system is crucial for both India and Pakistan.
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
448 out of 962 lakes encroached upon in Mandya: DC
Deputy Commissioner Kumar on Friday said that 448 out of 962 lakes in Mandya district are encroached upon, based on data from the Cauvery Niravari Nigama, the Minor Irrigation Department, the zilla panchayat, and the Department of Water Resources. Of these, encroachments on 245 lakes have been cleared. Presiding over a review meeting on the clearance of lake encroachment at his office, the Deputy Commissioner spoke on the importance of protecting water bodies and directed officials to submit monthly Taluk Level Committee (TLC) reports, with details about the progress made in clearing encroachments. The reports must include GPS-tagged photographs of cleared areas, he told the meeting. However, no such reports have been submitted in the past two months, Dr. Kumar said, while issuing a stern warning that failure to clear encroachments and submit the required documentation by the next meeting would result in action under the Karnataka Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 2011. Dr. Kumar said that despite repeated instructions, some departments have failed to act though the Revenue Department has already completed surveying and demarcating lake boundaries. The officers of the respective department have been tasked with removing encroachments and reporting their progress. The Deputy Commissioner said clearing encroachments is only the first step, and measures must also be taken to prevent re-encroachment. He instructed officials to install warning sign boards around lakes, establish a grievance redressal cell to address complaints related to encroachment and pollution, and ensure no solid waste is dumped in lakes, as it is a punishable offence. During the meeting, Dr. Kumar said that 158 lake-related legal cases have been filed between 2010 and 2024 under the Karnataka Public Lands Corporation. These include 19 cases in Mandya taluk, 25 in Maddur, 90 in Nagamangala, five in Malavalli, 15 in Srirangapatna, and four in K.R. Pet. All these cases must be addressed promptly, he added. As many of these lakes provide water for cattle, the Deputy Commissioner directed that water quality tests be conducted every three months. The Karnataka Urban Water Supply Board offers water testing services at ₹625 a test, and the services can be used, he told the meeting. To support lake conservation, he suggested the use of MGNREGA funds to plant saplings around smaller lakes to prevent encroachment. Also, corporate social responsibility funds can be used for lake beautification, and officials were directed to submit a list of lakes suitable for such development projects.
