The National Water Policy (2002)
Posted on December 12 2003 |
The National Water Policy (2002) prepared under the guidance of the World Bank has been the guiding force behind the water policy of Chhattisgarh, which is manifested in its “Vision 2010” document.
Though the Chief minister of Chhattisgarh under the pressure of NADI GHATI MORCHA and other organizations had declared on April 2, 2003 that he would not allow any natural resource to be taken away from the people, especially in the context of Sheonath, no further action has so far been taken despite the promise of action within one week
This is in contrast of our traditional cultural values attached to ‘PYAOO’ where free drinking water is allowed to every one. Even in the desert areas ‘JAL MANDIRS’ are still in practice because we never treated water a political tool
In order to gauge the pulse of the Indian people, the World Bank and its associate organisation U.M.D.P, with the help of the International Development Agency, organised a survey in many Indian cities. According to the survey, citizens of Dehradun are ready to pay as much as Rs. 10 per cubic c.m. of water, and a rate of Rs. 4.5 per cubic c.m. is acceptable even to the poorest sections of the city. Today the residents of Dehradun pay two rupees per cubic c.m. as water tax.
The survey also insinuates that in Baroda, residents earning less than Rs. 1500 per month could pay Rs. 275 per annum, and that middle-income group families would readily pay Rs. 440 annually.
It is an astounding conclusion, considering that the above rate is almost ten times higher than the current water tax in Baroda levied by the Baroda Water Authority. The survey also claims that villagers of Kerala will promptly pay four to five times more than the current water levy, and in Delhi, the national capital, people will not hesitate to shell out a thousand rupees every year for their water supply.
In a country where two square meals a day remains a dream for at least one-third of the population, and two-thirds of whose citizens barely make their ends meet, nothing can be more ridiculous than this claim that people are ready to burn both ends of their candle for privatised water.
Ministry for Water Resources is known to fully support a certain six-volume detailed World Bank Report published in 1999 by Allied Publishers of Delhi. The most dangerous aspect of this report is regarding management of underground water. According to this report, the main reason for power shortage in India is the mismanagement of underground water.
This, the report claims, is adversely affects the agricultural sector as well. The report suggests the enactment of a law to improve underground water management.
If such a law gets passed, no one can dig a well or a pond, even near one’s own house or on his own land.
MNCs will monopolise underground water.
The natural right of the common man to water will be snatched away. Besides the Water Resources Ministry, the Prime Minister’s Council on Trade and Industry also prescribes the same course. In fact, it advocates total privatisation of water resources. Ratan Tata is the President of the Council.
Is it mere coincidence that Monsanto, a multinational company eyeing the water-sector in India, among other global competitors like Thames Water, Mitshubishi, Vivendi, Hyundai, Aqua de Barcelona and Anglian Water, plans to collaborate with the Tatas in its Indian venture?
If this happens, Monsanto will grab a major chunk of the water distribution systems of this country. It will then force the farmers to buy water from it. Drinking water is already sold by the MNCs at the same rate as milk. If they had their way, soon the skyrocketing prices of water for irrigation would throttle the agriculture and food system of our country.
Some of the World Bank reports and Asian Development Bank reports have prorogated the concept of water users association and full cost recovery in water projects. These concepts have been coined to prepare ground for total privatization of irrigation and drinking water schemes.
Even before clearing of new NWP 2002, the privatization of rivers had started in many parts of country. Sheonath rivers privatization through Radius water company is just an illustration. Various states had already allowed private players to trade water even as these new policies were being drafted.
GATS has decided to open water sector for private players.
The natural resource will thus become private property of big capitalist houses & MNCs
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