The subject we are dealing with is of conservation of water and maintenance of water bodies. Water is one of the prioritized subjects of contemporary ecological importance to which entire world community is diverting its attention. The general view is that water resources on the earth are depleting while population is increasing and great pressure has come down on water resources. Much activity is going on at the WHO and other international bodies of how water resources are judiciously utilized and preserved. After all, water is the very source of survival of life on the globe. The WHO and other subsidiaries of the United Nation are issuing periodical notices and alerts to member countries about what should be done to conserve water resources.
In a country like ours, where life essentially depends on agriculture and agriculture in turn depends on water, we should be more informed on all aspects of this most precious commodity. We have rivers, stream, lakes, glaciers, springs, and many more water bodies that supply water to us for consumption of man and beast and for irrigating our field and farms to maintain our agricultural activity. Management of water resources is of utmost importance. That is the reason why the Government of India has suggested to the States to take adequate measures for judicious utilization of water and maintenance of water bodies. In pursuance of the instructions of the Union Government, the State Government constituted the &K Water Resources Regulatory Authority under Section 139 of Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Act, which was enacted by the State Legislature in 2010. The purposes stated for the enactment of the Act was to consolidate the laws relating to use of water, construction, control and management of works with respect to water storage, conservation and protection, the irrigation, water supply, drainage, flood control and prevention, the protection and improvement in the physical integrity of water courses like lakes and springs and the safety and surveillance of dams etc.
This in itself is a clear indication of how much importance the Water Resources Regulatory Authority enjoys and rightly so. Evidently, we expect the Government to provide the wherewithal for this Authority to function as per terms of reference of the Act. The SRO of 15 October 2012, authorizing constitution of the Authority specifically mentioned that it would comprise a Chairperson and two Members who would be responsible for regulating water resources within the territorial jurisdiction of J&K, ensuring judicious, equitable and sustainable management, allocation and utilization of these resources and fixing the rates for use of water etc. Accordingly, the Chairman and two members were appointed to form the Authority. Since they were superannuated officers, they were given three years term which they completed two months back and demitted office. The SRO specifies the qualification and other pre-requisites of the members of the Authority. Now, it is two months and the Authority is defunct because the Government has not taken any decision to bring in the new incumbents. The Government has to constitute a selection committee according to laid down specifications which will submit a panel of names to the Government for further action. So far this committee has not been informed to draw a panel, leave aside the induction of new members of the Authority. As far as we are informed, there is no movement at any level in the Government to understand the urgency of filling the vacancies in the J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority. We have already stated the importance of managing water resources in the State but we fail to understand why the Government is not responding to the urgency of filling the vacant posts. The members of the Authority, as per the norms laid down b y the Government have to be of very senior position and rank. We would, therefore, like to impress upon the Government to shun lethargy and inertia and understand that it has made a commitment to the people that it would not allow sloth and inefficiency to hinder smooth functioning of the Government or create obstacles in good governance. The PDP-led Coalition Government should not and cannot disappoint the people by taking just casual view of some urgent matters which are close to the interest of the people. Water management with its vast dimensions is of utmost importance and cannot be handled with fading interest.
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