AN APPEAL FOR WATER

Dear Friend,

JALASANGAMA ANDOLAN, a National NGO, for linking human rights with environmental protection, proposes to act as catalyst in the holy mission of creating River Nets. It was launched by Sri.Doddappaiya Gangappa, a former IAS officer, the Convenor and the Chairman of Sri Jalakanteswarar Dharma Sthabanam (Regd.) on 3rd August 2001 at Sri Jalakanteswarar Temple, Fort, Vellore, by lighting Bhagiratha Jyothi in the presence of several Holy Men with a Maha Sankalpa. The following are the objectives:

1. To provide drinking water to all
2. To prevent floods and famines;
3. To transfer surplus water from one river to the other without involving dams;
4. To bring additional area under irrigation to offer much needed food security;
5. To create facilities for generating hydro- electric power;
6. To provide easy navigational facilities;
7. To provide a green cover for restoring ecological balance in the Drought Areas and in short to bring about prosperity in all sectors of human endeavour including tourism and culture.
8. To provide protection against water borne diseases affecting the children.
9. To relieve the suffering of women folk in finding water for their homes.
10. To find gainful employment and meaningful life for the socially and economically deprived sections of the society particularly in the context of Government's reduced role in offering employment.

It would be a silent Water Revolution. Under the auspices of this Water Club Movement, it is also proposed to arrange for seminars, conferences, workshops in different parts of the country for creating the needed awareness and support for the programme.

Water, water everywhere, but no water to drink. Strange! milk is cheaper than water today. Water sustains life-water is needed for Domestic use, development of Industries, Irrigation, Power and for various Ecological and other Socio - Economic Development. Water is vital to health.

The farming sector is virtually facing a crisis. There are many pathetic instances of farmers committing suicide. The Indian agriculture is a 'gamble in monsoons'. The farmer, Annadhatha, is again back in ' The Debt Trap '. The market mechanism is too complex to hope for better. The adverse impact of pollution on the mother nature is horrible - reflected as ' Breast Cancer ' pest in the Coconuts (Narikela).

The chronic power shortages retard growth of Industry & Agriculture. The unemployment problem gets aggravated. The educated youth in particular would pose a biggest threat as unemployed lot creating social unrest. The Southern States in particular are vulnerable for civil war if the water disputes continue to persist. Hence the conflict resolution techniques remain only in linking the rivers.

Additional food production of 100 million tonnes ( present 200 million tonnes ) to feed additional mouths would require more area to be brought under irrigation. The present 104 crore population would become 140 crores by 2025 as per the World Bank studies.

The traffic congestion on the highways is alarming. The water ways as canal navigation would go a long way to help solve this problem.

There are several towns and villages without access to drinking water even after 54 years of Independence. The supply of water in developing countries like India is a major problem at times posing a biggest challenge of life or death. Hence, the water management assumes greater significance. This cannot be an exclusive area of Experts only. There are people too. Community Participation in Water Management is a must. Water is a scarce natural resource and it concerns every one.

• More than 95% of Water is in the form of Ocean.
• Of the remaining 5% most of it is ice leaving 1 % as fresh water
• 75% of fresh water is polluted in the so called urban and industrial development.
• Demand for water is ever increasing with the increase in population
• Over Exploitation of ground water results not only in severe shortages but also causes seismological imbalances like earthquakes.
• Environment & Ecology get degraded with the craze for building dams.
• The water tapped from more than 100 feet depth is considered not fit for human consumption as it contains Halogen and other salts.

Floods and Droughts are common visitors of our country. Either way human suffering is enormous. The loss in terms of money is very huge. The money spent on Flood Relief in the Central Sector alone from 1953 to 1998 is estimated to be around Rs.52,660 crores. The expenditure on Drought Relief as DPAP might be much more. All this spending, after all, is on adhoc basis. Is there not a permanent and lasting solution to this ? Out of 424 Districts in the country as many as 143 are drought affected.

Floods in the Himalayan belt and Droughts in the Southern States would need to be remedied adopting a single National Water Basin Concept. Interlinking of Rivers is, therefore, only the choice available before the nation for solving several chronic water related problems including the knotty interstate River water disputes.

Interlinking of Rivers in the quickest possible time, availing the advanced technology and the opportunities of BOT (Build Operate Transfer) or BOLT (Build Operate Lease Transfer) concept presently operating in the industrial sector with a network of Canals & Barrages, across the length and breadth of the country would be a great boon to India. Let us invoke the blessings of Bhagiratha.

BHAGIRATHA, the legendry hero, is perhaps the first to have ever attempted a River Water project in the world. It was this great man, who along with a select team of young men undertook an expedition to the Himalayas and could successfully accomplish the incredible task by cutting the edge of Manasa Sarovar, the divine lake in such a way that the flow of water was diverted towards India, giving birth to the River Ganga or Bhagirathi, the holiest of Holy Rivers. Now, the River Ganga has to cross the Vindhyas and reach the South to join the River Kaveri. This unfinished job of Bhagiratha would be our endeavour. When Bhagiratha is on the move, will Ganga remain far behind ?

Mahanadi is known for high floods. The surplus water, when diverted, would very easily take care of the entire drought areas of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The River Godavari, Bramhaputra besides Ganga with heavy surplus water could eventually be linked with the other rivers. The National Water Development Agency has done an excellent ground work in preparing several study reports over a period of twenty years.

The Peninsular River links already approved as early as in Nov. 1980, when Smt. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister could not make much headway except to the extent of preparing a few study reports by the National Water Development Agency. Even the canal route adopted along the East Coast to cost about Rs.50,000 crore is not only not being helpful but also threatens to be highly dangerous. The East-Coast is a cyclone-prone area. The exchange basis of water transfer tends to be more academic. Hence the alternative route to tap Mahanadi would be via the most backward areas of Chattisgarh, Telangana and Rayalaseema of A.P., drought areas of Maharastra, the water starved areas of Bidar, Gulbarga, Bijapur, Dharwad, Raichur, Bellary, Chitradurga, Tumkur & Kolar in Karnataka and Dharmapuri, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Salem, Trichy, Karur, Madurai, Ramanathapuram areas of Tamil Nadu. The adoption of Ridge Line would be more beneficial to connect all the West or East flowing rivers. Dr.K.L.Rao's proposals could be considered as guiding principle for Ganga - Kaveri link.

The linking of one rainfed river to another rain fed river may not be of much use. Therefore, it is imperative to link the Himalayan Rivers like Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra with the other rivers. Dr.K.L.Rao has already done a great deal of spade work. The relevancy of his proposals in the present context is very high. Hence, this needs to be reconsidered with some modifications to benefit the States like Maharashtra and Karnataka.

May I therefore, appeal to all the like minded NGOs, Industrialists, Philanthropists, Businessmen, Retired Civil servants, Judges and Individuals to avail this rarest of the rare opportunities of service to the Nation and Humanity at large. The Herculean task would call for adequate resources in terms of both men and money. We need help. We welcome suggestions. The youth of this country would need help & encouragement. And infact the water holds the key for all round development, After all, water is necessary for everyone irrespective of caste, creed, colour or sex. The Holy men of all religions are with us. How about you? We would indeed value your participation in this Holy Mission.

For further details please contact :
Ms. Vallaba G.Vasantha, B.A., L.L.B.(Hons)., P.G.D.H.R.L., Advocate, Secretary, Jalasangama, #469, 4th Main, HIG, Rajmahal Vilas II Stage Extn., Bangalore - 560 094. Ph : 91-80-23415621/91-80-23513464. E-Mail : gangappa@Justice.com

Shri.M.Muniraju, Organising Secretary, Jalasangama, Karnataka. Phone: 080-26800910.

Shri.K.S.Mani, B.Sc., General Secretary, Jalasangama, Tamil Nadu. Phone: 0416-232992 / 223431.