There is a need to develop a culture of preserving water, not wasting it

The recent floods in Punjab have been some of the worst in its history. While much has been debated about the role of government and the mismanagement of dams, the cardinal reason that is not being talked about is what has caused the disaster in the first place: water.

The floods should force us all to rethink how we treat water and its very nature: how it flows from one place to another; how exactly a river forms and how it transforms the landscape along its course.

The latter part is especially relevant in the ongoing conversation about floods in Punjab.

There is no water management system in the state at present. The Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers flow from Punjab to Pakistan. All these rivers are dammed. They are not perennial. Only as much water is released from the dams as is necessary. People downstream do not even know where the river’s boundary is. There is no water in the river for 6-8 months, and even if there is, only 20-25 per cent of its area has minimum water. This makes people think that it is completely empty.

On the other hand, there is a lot of unplanned and uncontrolled development in the urban areas of Punjab. There are 169 towns in the state but only 40 towns have a master plan. Urbanisation is also happening in the lower regions, due to which old drainage lines and water bodies have been encroached upon. This is one of the main reasons for flood water stagnation.

Encroachment and mining take place when there is less water in the river. People start farming and building settlements on the river land. When water suddenly comes, this entire area gets submerged.

Therefore, river management is very important. The government should mark and notify the river area and ensure that no settlement is within its limits. The capacity of the river should be maintained. Also, dam management should be clear. If the outflow of water increases to 2-2.5 lakh cusecs of water from 20-25,000 cusecs, it is not possible to handle it.  

Thinking about water

Our thinking about water is very messed up. We consider water a problem and thus try to drain it.

When water comes, we get worried. When it does not come, we get worried even then.

Actually, water is a huge resource. And it needs to be seen like that, rather than as a disaster. It is very important to retain water.

Cities, schools, universities, big institutions and the agriculture sector have a great capacity to retain water. They have large plots of land.

The city should become zero water waste and not even a drop should go out of it.

In Panjab University, barely 15 per cent of the campus is covered while 85 per cent is open. This can be used for rainwater harvesting. Institutions need water all the time and they are extracting groundwater. If they retain water, groundwater will be saved.

Every housing society should be encouraged to be zero water waste. They should get property tax exemption for saving water. This will not require the municipalities to pump water from far away. Nor will it have to be treated and supplied. Groundwater recharge is a long task and takes time, but rainwater harvesting is a very easy task. All it takes is water collection. This can meet 40 per cent of the city’s water requirement.

But this work should not be done at the individual level but at the collective and institutional level. We have to avoid the culture of draining water and develop a culture of water conservation. There are cities in America where one has to pay tax for draining out rainwater. Saving water is also important because 690 million people do not have toilets and 240 million people do not have drinking water. There is no other water that is safe than rainwater. The reason for our water crisis is the wastage of rainwater.

So far, no plan has paid attention to flood prevention. If this is not included in the planning process, then problems are bound to arise. Therefore, water management should be a part of the city’s planning and development process.

Our problem is that while planning the city, we have never mapped where the natural drainage and natural resources are. If these are marked, they will remain and will not fall prey to development. They can be used to drain water.

Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh is a good example of rainwater harvesting, which is not only solving the water problem, but has also become a huge tourist destination. If you go to the Capital Complex, you will find the High Court and the Legislative Assembly. They have built two tanks on both sides to harvest rainwater. Water is being stored in them. While constructing any building, it should be kept in mind that rainwater circulation should be in its internal plan.

Every city is troubled by rain floods, and it is expected to increase in the future. Harvesting rainwater will also protect cities from floods. In the era of climate change, we will have to make long term and short-term strategies to prevent urban floods. Delhi has 10 per cent parking area. If it is made of porous concrete, then the water will go down directly, which will recharge the groundwater. We should try to save rainwater as much and wherever possible.

I would also add that a large number of Chinese towns and cities were also suffering from the problem of related floods. To solve the problem of urban flooding, China developed the concept of ‘Spongy Cities’ — having large green areas in the city — which helped a majority of Chinese towns to become free from floods. India can surely learn from the Chinese experience to overcome challenges of flooding.

Jit Kumar Gupta is a retired advisor of Punjab Urban Development Authority. He spoke with Bhagirath

Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth