The Meghalaya Water Foundation (MWF) organized The Shillong Water Conclave: Water Equity and Sustainability in the Context of North East India at Shillong on 22nd March 2014 (UN World Water Day) with the support of the Government of Meghalaya, the India Water Foundation (IWF), GIZ Climate Change Adaptation for North East Region, Meghalaya Water Resources Development Agency and Meghalaya Basin development Authority. The event was held at the Convention Centre, NEHU, Shillong.
The distinguished panel consisted of Dr. K.K Paul, Honourable Governor of Meghalaya, Shri Phrang Roy, Chairman, Meghalaya Water Foundation, Shri Mihir Shah, Member, Planning Commission of India, Shri. B. Warjri, Chief Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya and Prof. P. Shukla, Vice Chancellor, NEHU, Shri D. Molden, Director ICIMOD and Shri. R.M Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya.
Climate change is a major problem. Water will be the defining crisis of the 21st century, a crisis that we are not seeing the writing on the wall. Mawphlang, the only source of water in Shillong should be well protected. Stone quarrying has had a destructive influence in Shillong. Limited recharge of ground water and surface water, it becomes important to have a comprehensive water management policy. Management of water at local and government level is found wanting. The water crisis is life threatening and Shillong today is in danger. It may not exist if we are to continue our ways.
The MWF held a small retreat and concluded that people as users must be part of the solution and be at the centre of the work of MWF. Not over emphasise on the technical solutions, there is the people side of the water aspect that we must remind ourselves. My Roy mentioned that MFW can be a bridge builder to connect people from all walks of life to come up with solutions to solve the water crisis. He also mentioned the need to host such workshops as they can a platform on how to implement the water policy. There is also the importance of the ethics of managing water cycle. We must not look out for self interest only. It is important that people in Meghalaya must be a water keeper.
The next speaker was the Vice Chancellor of NEHU. He spoke of the water crisis in NEHU and how this has impacted on the life of the students.
Shri Mihir Shah, Member, Planning Commission of India presented a very insightful speech in his key note address on the 12th 5 year Plan. He started out by saying that strength of Meghalaya lies in its natural resources and partnerships and also stated that Meghalaya had one of the best water policies in the country. He then moved on to the 12th Plan saying that “There is a paradigm shift in water resource management” and stated eight principles for the paradigm shift. He was of the opinion that large dams were limited in use as the water does not percolate to the farmers. His next point revolved on the status of ground water and how it has only recently come to the fore as a source of water. It is now the most important resource of water. It is, therefore, imperative to form a state ground water committee. His third point pointed out to the fact that water is too complex to be handled by government alone. Water had to be debureaucratize. It is required to involve working groups as well. He expressed the need to eliminate silos and promote convergence mode of working among all government departments. His next point focused on the need for participatory mechanisms for water management. We must also have sustainable mechanisms for water management. Following this, he mentioned the need to preserve spring around the state. Springs are a vital source of water and must be documented and preserved by protection of catchment areas. He also spoke on a new approach where implementation of rural drinking water projects must be accompanied by sanitation projects. It is important to take care of solid and liquid waste. This is true of urbanised areas as well with regards to sustaining its growth. Industries must also be responsible to gauge their water footprint and this has been made mandatory by the government. His last point on the principles of water management was based on the fact that the Planning commission had to incentivise water management and it must behave as a facilitator and play the role of a change maker.
He stated that water is not an individual resource but a community resource. It is, therefore, imperative to make legal changes in the regime of water use as our laws date back to the time of British rule where it gives the owner of the land complete control over the use of water present in the land. It should be proposed that change in policy towards ground water. It should fall under the public trust. He also made a point to point out that technology must partner the idiosyncrasies of the region.
Shri. K.K Paul, Honourable Governor of Meghalaya congratulated MWF for organising this conclave on a very topical subject. He said that “We need to understand the need of the hour. Water is a basic resource. Overexploitation of water can lead to disastrous circumstances”. He also stated that without adequate water cities cannot survive as can be seen from the old examples like Fatepur Sikri, Akbar capital city.
The governor emphatically stated that “We must charge the aquifers”. E mentioned that large scale water reservoirs have serious environmental consequences and that we must cultivate practices that are sustainable at the micro level. We must also treat waste water and have waste water management. “Waste water can be treated as potable water but this is an extreme step. But in a crisis situation we must go to the extreme.”
Mr. B. Warjri delivered the vote of thanks.
After the opening ceremony, participants were asked to break into three working groups where discourses were carried out along three themes; “eco friendly and people friendly technology”, “change makers” and “governance” to come up with viable solutions to the water crisis and how to implement the water policy. After the working group discussion, a road map would be presented on all the themes which would help in formulating an action plan to push forward the need to recognise and find solutions to the water crisis, management of water, sanitation and disposal of solid and liquid waste and implementation of the state water policy.