Water Initiatives Orissa dated on 5th August 2010

Water Surplus: a Myth. A demand for White paper on Orissa and its availability status of water resources in the state

Published on:

11 Aug 2010, 6:48 am

WIO Urges the Government of Orissa to come out with a While Paper on state and availability status of water resources in the state. The demand comes in the wake of the government's consistent claim that the state is water surplus even though water scarcity hits us all every day.

Sambalpur, 5th August 2010 - As the industrial overdrive of Orissa continues with signing of MoU after MoU with water guzzling industries, there is no clarity on the exact water available in the state. The government has been propagating that Orissa is a water surplus state. However, statistics used by the various reports of the government are dated to 2001, from when the real industrialization boom has taken off in the state. It is time that the government comes out with a transparent position paper on the exact water availability in the state or else water conflicts will aggravate.

The surplus water mantra that the Orissa government is chanting is a ‘myth’, says WIO. This so called surplus is being derived out of the simple fact that Orissa, despite covering less than 5 per cent of India’s geographical area, houses 11 per cent of its water resources. In the changing context, with rapid pollution owing to industrialization and urbanization, the figures have changed towards the negative. While there are no substantial records available to say exactly how much water is available, if one believes the Annual Report of the Water Resources department of Govt. of Odisha, it states the figure of 2001 when Odisha’s per capita water availability was 3,359 cubic metre (cum) per year compared to the national average of 1820 cum. Orissa’s industrial overdrive has accelerated post 2001 and most of the industries promoted in the state are water guzzling ones. As such also climate change is taking a heavy toll on the water availability of the state. So, this figure cannot be believed.

If we consider the reduction of per capita availability of water in the country (national average), it has reduced from 5177 cum in 1961 to 1820 (in 2001) almost by 65 per cent. As of current year, the national average has further reduced to 1650 cum (according to U. N. Panjiar, Secretary of GoI) – a reduction of 10 per cent! Considering this normal case, Orissa’s per capital availability must have reduced to about 3000 cum by the last year. However, in a changed climatic condition, this would go further down. The IPCC estimates by 2025 the average per capita availability of water would be less than 1000 cum – that’s another 40 percent.

Going by those simple calculations, Orissa’s average water availability would be at around 1800 cum in another 14 years! However, with the type of industries Orissa is promoting, this figure would actually go further down. What is important therefore is to have a proper assessment of the water scenario for present as well as future.

So, Orissa was left with only 40 per cent of its utilizable water resources by 2007.

he present definition of “Surplus Water” therefore does not include all these calculations. This is therefore not enough to justify giving away water to industries from any source.

oing by the simple statistics therefore Orissa is going to be a water stress region by 2015 and water scarcity region in few more years, we apprehend.

In fact, we at WIO feel that Orissa will be a water stressed state between 2015 to 2020. Its high time that the government recognizes this threat and comes out with a White Paper urgently detailing the exact availability of water in the state; current and future requirement of all sectors keeping in view the growth projections and risks of climate change. Till then no new industries should be allocated water.