The essence of World Water Day

Photo: World Water Day celebration in Uttar Dinajpur

                                     
                International World Water Day is annually celebrated since 1993 to create awareness on the sustainable management of fresh water resources. It is a day to celebrate the importance of water and to express solidarity to the collective action on drawing a global consensus for water conservation. Hence, World Water Day is an opportunity to learn about water related issues, feel motivated to share among others and take pledge to work on making the difference.

Key facts:

• Out of total water available in the planet, 97.5 % is saline and is unfit for drinking or irrigation purposes.  Only 1 % is readily available while rest remains in the form of glacier.

• By 2025, two third population of the world could be under water stress by 2025.

• In India, there has been a decrease in the per capita water availability from 5178 m³ in 1951 to 1544 m³ in 2011( Central Water Commission, 2017)   

• In West Bengal, as the agricultural activities and industrial development taking momentum, the water deficit percentage also increasing tremendously from 38 % in 2000 to 48 % in 2011. In the current trend, it is predicted that the deficit will reach 58 % by 2025. ( Rudra, 2007)

  Initiatives from the Project:

         

          The agriculture sector puts enormous pressure on the country's water resources especially ground water aquifers.Although there are many technological advances but these are often beyond the capacity of the financially starved small and marginal farmers. WBADMIP during its inception was more focused towards  ground water based schemes as such only 30 % of the schemes undertaken initially belongs to surface schemes. But soon the project shifted its policy towards more surface water schemes ( around 70 % Surface water, 30 % Ground water) with the main objectives of,,

• reducing pressure on ground water aquifers 
• Increasing surface water storage capacity
• addressing issue of ground water salinity prevalent in the coastal districts.

Besides shift in policy in the irrigation system development, the project is also implementing water smart extension services among the water users majority of which belongs to small and marginal category ( about 80%). As a part of the service, farmers are trained on various aspects of participatory irrigation management to increase the water productivity as well as reduce the water wastage. Knowledge are being disseminated through well tailored capacity building program on water budgeting, crop planning, conservation agriculture, efficient O&M etc

WWD Celebration in Bardhaman

However, with increase in water as well as farm productivity it is also necessary for the farmers to realise that water is a scarce commodity and without conservation measures it wouldn't sustain for long. It is even more crucial for state like Bengal where 96 % of the farmers belongs to small and marginal land holding category, a deficit rainfall season can push them towards heavy loss. In this regard, the project officials picked up World Water Day as the ideal platform to spread the awareness on these water issues and build a collective action at grassroots level to systematise the effort into coherent body of knowledge on importance of water conservation. As a part of this initiative, for the first time  World Water Day  was commemorated in the project areas  on 22nd March last year with the participation of large number of Water User Associations spread around the state.

Nadia

In Bardhaman district, around 3000 Water User Association members from several block organised the event collectively marked by mass rallies with slogans on water conservation,art competitions, interactive sessions etc. In Southern district of Hooghly, the event metamorphosed into 2 days affair. The first day was organised centrally by Khatul water User Association at Aghorkamini Prakash Chandra College with participation of representatives from several water user associations, teaching community, students etc.In the second day, the WUAs observed locally. In Nadia, the event was organised centrally in karimpur block with the participation of 25 Water User Associations. Besides the WUA members,  the event was also participated by officials from local administration as well as line departments, teaching and student community, local progressive farmers etc. Various competitions on water conservation was organised and the winners were awarded with packet of Bio-pesticides. 

Bankura

In Western districts, tribal women were seen taking active participation in mass rallies carrying posters and raising slogans on water conservation. In the other districts also World Water Day was organised with similar enthusiasm and magnitude.