water pollution in india

289 Pages·2014·2.03 MB·English

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R E P O R T

CHAPTER – I

INTRODUCTORY

I. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Water is the basis of all life. It is fundamental for human existence, ecological
balance and for the very future of our planet. The National Water Policy declares water
a scarce national resource fundamental to life, livelihood, food security and sustainable
development. Safe drinking water is a basic need and a right for every human being.
Clean, safe and adequate fresh water is vital to the survival of all organisms and the
smooth functioning of key systems, entities and economies. Water based eco-systems
provide a diversity of services vital for human well-being and poverty alleviation and the
delivery of fresh water is a particularly important service both directly and indirectly.
While water pollution and contamination weakens or destroys natural eco-system that
supports human health, food production and bio-diversity, polluted water can lead to
serious problems with diseases and death of humans, animals, plant and vegetation.

1.2. India is a signatory to the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development relating to water and sanitation held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 20-22
June, 2012. The Rio Conference gave recognition that water is at the core of
sustainable development and therefore, reiterated the importance of integrating water in
sustainable development. The Conference committed to the progressive realisation of
access to safe and affordable drinking water and basic sanitation for all as necessary for
poverty eradication, the improvement of women and to protect human health and to
significantly improve the implementation of integrated water resource management at all
levels as appropriate. Commitments regarding the human right to safe drinking water
and sanitation, to be progressively realised for our population with full respect for
national sovereignty was reaffirmed while highlighting the commitment to the 2005-2015
International Decade for Action, "Water for Life." The Supreme Court of India in its
Judgment dated 28.8.1996 in the case of Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum vs. Union of
India and Others also took cognisance of 'Sustainable Development' as the answer to
meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs and upheld 'The Precautionary Principle' and 'The Polluter Pays'
principle as essential features of Sustainable Development and interpreted that these
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principles are part of the environmental law of the Country. India's participation in earlier
UN Conferences on Human Environment held at Stockholm in June 1972 and that on
Environment and Development Rio De Janeiro in June 1992 resulted in the enactment
of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 providing for establishment of a National Green
Tribunal for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental
protection. Section 20 of the Act ibid clearly stipulates that the principles of sustainable
development, the precautionary principle and the polluter pays principle are to be
applied while passing any order or decision or award.

1.3. Various aspects of the issue of water pollution, albeit, limited to the pollution in
River Ganga had engaged the attention of the earlier PACs (2000-2001, 2001-2002,
2002-03 and 2003-04) wherein oral evidences of not only the representatives of the
Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) but also from the State Governments of
Uttranchal, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal were taken in connection with the
examination of subject 'Ganga Action Plan' (GAP) and the 62nd Report of PAC (2003-
2004), 13th Lok Sabha contained a number of findings including State specific ones
regarding the slow pace of developing infrastructure to control pollution in Ganga River.
The Committee had then deplored the inefficiency and lack of foresight on the part of the
implementing agencies of GAP I and II and had observed then that unless urgent
measures were instituted to accelerate the pace of work on control of pollution, the
situation would deteriorate further causing irreparable loss to the entire Ganga river
system. Stressing the need to generate additional resources by way of introducing user
charges; 'beneficiaries pay' and 'polluters pay' principle along with other collective fine
system, etc., the Committee had also emphasised on the core issue of the need for
efficient and co-ordinated working of different departments/agencies working for the
control of pollution. The Committee also found that the implementation of GAP, had
been more of piecemeal solution for tackling a complex problem and failed to treat the
river eco-system entirely.

1.4. The Committee had then, further observed that for such a mass oriented
programme as GAP, a crucial aspect like public participation which could have been a
deciding factor in the successful implementation of the GAP had not been given
adequate attention. The Committee recommended energetic mass awareness efforts to
establish a pattern of co-operative relationship between the Government NGOs, V.Os
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