A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the UP Jal
Nigam and Israel's ministry of national infrastructure, energy and water
resources, during PM Narendra Modi's historical visit to Israel in early July
2017. Israel will help UP in water utility reform.
With the signing of MoU, Uttar Pradesh will be the first
foremost collaborator among Indian states to jointly work on water utility
reforms with Israel, which will cover all aspects, including drinking water
supply, in both rural and urban areas, irrigation, rivers cleanliness,
competence and conservation.
As per the modalities, the state government will form a
joint task force of UP Jal Nigam, Central Water Commission, Central Ground
Water Board and National Mission for Clean Ganga and some other departments
related with water to identify and categorize the challenges and priorities and
look for solutions in a time bound manner. This has to be worked out by the
water resources ministry to carry on works within the MoU.
UP has dozens of rivers. Major ones are Betwa River, Chambal
River, Ganges, Ghaghara, Gomti River, Hindon River, Kali River, Ken River,
Ramganga, Rihand River, Rapti River, Yamuna and much more. But due to
encroachments on the wet land, river plains, catchment areas and river beds,
all the rivers are become left as drains. Only during rainy season some of them
have enough water. So, clearing all these encroachments is also a big challenge
and restores the rivers to their natural forms.
As Israel gives great importance to India, Israeli
authorities are very keen to take up the problem areas very seriously to find
the right solutions. Actually, UP will be a sort of tough test case for this
India-Israel cooperation and overall without knowing the syllabi. Moreover,
they have to face the hostile opposition parties which are traditionally
pro-Islamic nations and anti-Israel. If Indo-Israel working group succeeds in
UP, it can open other areas of cooperation too to be replicated elsewhere.
UP has no shortage of water. The problem is the proper
management of water and water resources. For this, they must construct dams and
check dams on a very large scale. UP has plenty of rain water. If this water is
collected in dams and check dams, this collected water can be used during the
lean season. This will end the problem of drought and water shortage in this
state.
The water collected in dams and check dams can be released
in the rivers which will ensure the flow of clean water in rivers, throughout
the year. Thus rivers will be cleaner. This will also increase underground
water level and increase the ground water level. Water harvesting system must
be installed on a very massive scale to recharge and increase the ground water
level with clean water.
River linking is another way out to revive the dying rivers.
By this method surplus water can be diverted to other areas. These methods will
solve most of the problems of floods, droughts, water shortage, pollution, etc.
This will ensure clean and safe water supply to people across the state and increase
the green cover and reduction of dust, soil and water pollution.
The joint team should also ensure the zero liquid discharge
policy as far as sewage effluent is concerned for tackling Ganga and other
river's pollution and encourage using recycled water in agriculture. Water
conserving resources like the construction of dams, check dams, river linking
and rain water harvesting should be carried out in the drought hit and
water-starved region of Bundelkhand. The agencies of both countries have to work
together to find out state specific solution.
Although, the Israeli experts had worked in other states
earlier, including Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, in the field of water use
management, efficiency and desalination, the UP will be the first state where
the country will have to work on several issues altogether as part of overall
water management reforms.
On these issues, there was detail discussion and
understanding between state CM Yogi Adityanath and Israel's ambassador to India
Daniel Carmon in Lucknow in May before signing of the MoU.
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