Water audit to avoid disputes: CWC

Rajahmundry: The Central Water Commission plans to take up water audit of rivers and other water bodies to keep tab on the quantum of water available and its utilisation in the wake of water disputes arising between states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and between AP and TS. It will come up with guidelines and avoid such problems in future with the sole criteria that the water should be used for drinking, irrigation and industrial purposes on priority basis.

As the per capita demand for water is rising day by day and its per capita availability is becoming less, conflicts of interests are emerging between states and also between farmers from two regions and between two sections of people as water is precious and it can be used for drinking, cultivation of crop and for industrial purposes.

Though the system of water audit by the CWC has been in practice for some time, there is not much focus on it so far and with states fighting against each other for getting their share of water, the CWC intends to implement the water audit system all over the country based on feasibility in a phased manner by setting up requisite infrastructure and designating the experts to do so.

As part of it, the CWC is planning to set up two telemetry stations downstream Godavari river from Sir Arthur Cotton barrage to keep tab on availability of quantum of water and its utilisation. As the telemetry stations are linked with satellites, they get water levels in Godavari river on hourly basis in real time and send such data to CWC stations in New Delhi and in Hyderabad. These two telemetry stations are likely to come up in island villages like Athreyapuram, Pottilanka and other neighbouring islands in East Godavari.

The advantage for having these two telemetry stations is that in case Godavari river gets heavy inflow of water from its catchment areas during flood season and the water resources authorities release huge quantum of water from Sir Arthur Cotton barrage, the CWC authorities can alert the local administration. The officials can then evacuate the people to safety, in case they expect flooding of villages or islands or low-lying areas along the course of river.

The CWC is also planning to set up two water gauge centres on Godavari tributaries Vasista and Gauthami to keep tab on the quantum of water availability. This authenticated data is very useful to the state government to plan for cultivation of crops, nature of crops and even for diversion of water to meet local needs, if required.

CWC Lower Godavari Sub-Division senior divisional engineer B.N.V. Satyanarayana said, “The CWC is going to accord top priority on water audit in several water bodies in the country. Accordingly, it has issued directions to carry out a survey to set up two telemetry stations and two water gauge stations to monitor the quantum of water availability and its utilisation on Godavari river and its two tributaries and, if all goes well, we may set them up by November.”