Greens seek autonomous water conservation authority

Mangaluru: Nethravati Rakshana Samyukta Samiti, a group of like-minded organisations that are opposed to the controversial Yettinahole project on Sunday urged the state government to set up an autonomous Nethravati Jalasamvardhane Pradhikara. This, the Samiti says, is essential to draw and execute permanent drinking water and irrigation projects for the coastal district.
V V Bhat, former bureaucrat and member of the Samiti told reporters on Sunday that the proposed Authority with clear backing from the legislature should comprise not only officials, but also experts from engineering institutions, general public and representatives from local bodies of the region. Such an authority is quite essential to look after the interest of the people of the coastal district, who are facing the threat of drinking water crisis with each passing summer.
"The governments thus far have constantly fooled people here with much touted claims of implementing the Paschima Vahini project as a possible answer to the above requirements of the coastal district. Such projects will end up feeding the consultants and contractors, and bring no tangible benefit to people of the district," Bhat said. All projects so planned by the Authority must take into account the soil formation of the district and its potential for water storage.
The time has come for the coastal district to dabble with new techniques in water management through sluice gate technology, he said, adding the government must approach engineering colleges and NGOs to develop such technology. The conventional techniques of water storage followed in the Deccan Plateau and other places will not work in the coast as the soil structure is predominantly laterite at the top followed by sheet granite that allows easy dissipation of water.
Referring to the World Water Report 2016 brought out by the World Bank, Bhat said it has made some very important recommendations. The report notes that protection of water source is important if not more important than spending on implementing drinking water projects. Only experts should be involved in the execution of any water project and elected representatives should steer clear from the same, he said citing examples of river authorities set up by many city states.