GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU

ABSTRACT

 Public Works (W2) Department

G O Ms No.31                                                                                                                    Dated:12.1.2001

Order:

National Water Policy as well as   State Water Policy of Tamil Nadu emphasize the need for development and management of water resources with a river basin as an integral unit. To implement this   important element of the National as well State Water Policy, the Government have received suggestions for integrated planning, monitoring, management and development of water and land resources with the active involvement of stakeholders of each river basin.  Integrated development of water and land resources will lead to socially and environmentally    sustainable development of the resources in the basin which would improve the livelihood of the basin citizens. It has been suggested that River Basin Management and Development Boards may be set up initially in Palar and Tambaraparani basins to manage these activities in the basins.

2. The basins have distinct characteristics. The Palar basin is less developed in terms of agriculture and industry than the Tambaraparani basin.  Palar has greater pollution problems associated with tanneries. In addition, it has a groundwater barrier contributing to water quality problems. The Tambaraparani basin has a distinct wet area where hydropower is being generated.  Both the basins have a sizeable delta region with associated salinity intrusion problems.  Irrigated agriculture is practised in both the basins.  Storages in the Palar basin have been mobilised through a number of tanks. Some of these tanks are system tanks these are fed by diversion of flows from the main river in addition to the yield of their own local small sub-catchments. Similar tanks exist in the Tambaraparani basin as well.  In addition, there is a storage reservoir at Papanasam where hydropower generation is being carried out. Due to the existence of this reservoir and the ‘wet’ zone, water is available for agriculture almost throughout the year, which has encouraged farmers to go for water-intensive crops.  Uncontrolled expansion of water-intensive crop areas contributes to severe water stress in the basin. Urban conglomerations together with a ship-building industry at the mouth of the basin are imposing additional inter-sectoral demands on the basin.  Therefore, even though water is available in reasonable quantity and quality, the Tambaraparani basin is coming out as a severely stressed basin.  Groundwater extraction is taking place in both the basins with about 16% of the blocks in Palar having been declared Dark and only 5% of the blocks in Tambaraparani having been declared Dark. As groundwater quality also is affected by tanneries there is an urgent need to tackle groundwater exploitation issues in the Palar basin.  Given these diverse issues to be considered, it is essential that an integrated basin management approach is taken in these two basins on a pilot basis. The Government have examined the suggestion of Constituting Basin Management and Development Boards and have accepted it in principle. The Government, however, decided to form Palar and Tambaraparani River Basin Management and Development Boards only for the water based activities to begin with.

3. The River Basin Management and Development Boards will have the following Members:

Hon'ble Minister in-charge of water resources   - Chairman

Development Commissioner                             - Member

Secretary Finance Department                           - Member

Secretary in-charge of water resources              - Member

Secretary, Agriculture                                       - Member

Secretary, MAWS                                             - Member

Secretary, Rural Development                          - Member

Secretary, Industries                                         - Member

Secretary, Environment and Forests                 - Member

          All MPs representing the constituencies in the river - Members 
          basin

All MLAs representing the constituencies in the 

river basin                                                       - Members

All Panchayat Union Chairmen                       - Members

          All Municipal Chairmen                                      - Members
            District Panchayat Presidents of the

concerned districts                                         - Members

          Presidents of Distributory Level

Committee of Water Users' Association         - Members

          District Collectors of concerned districts           - Members

          One representative each of the                        - Members

following departments

            (i)             Agriculture

(ii)            Horticulture

(iii)          Forest

(iv)          Environment/Pollution control

(v)           Agricultural engineering

(vi)          Fisheries

(vii)        Animal Husbandry

(viii)      Public Health

(ix)          TWAD Bd.

(x)           Industries.

Chief Engineer,

Water Resources Organisation                 -Member-Secretary

Superintending Engineers,

Water Resources Organisation

circles in the area                                        - Members

Superintending Engineers,

Tank Modernisation of

 Water Resources Organisation                - Members

Superintending Engineers,

(Plan Formulation)

Water Resources Organisation                 - Member

3 representatives of industries                   - Members

3 representatives of NGOs and

 eminent persons in the area                      - Members

Chief Engineer,

 Central Water Commission                        - Member

4. The above Board would meet twice in a year or more frequently, if required. The powers and responsibilities of the Board will be:

v    to approve the perspective and annual plan of various activities in the basin      prepared by the  Basin Management Committee 

v    to approve the annual budget

v    to give general guidelines for implementation of various schemes related to water resources in the basin.

5. The following activities would be coordinated by the Board in so far as the sustainable use of water is concerned:

-                  Irrigation

-                  Agriculture

-                  Horticulture

-                  Soil conservation

-                  Environment and Pollution Control

-                  Domestic water supply

-                  Fisheries

-                  Water supply to cattle

-                  Water supply to industries

-                  Water supply to power generation

-                  Watershed Development

-                  Wasteland Development

-                  Forests

-                  Recreation and Tourism

-                  Public Health

6. The Government also constitute the Basin Management Committee to take all decisions regarding the development and management of the water resources in the basin.  The composition of the Basin Management Committee would be as follows:

          Hon'ble Minister incharge of water resources     - Chairman

Development Commissioner                                 - Member

          Secretary in-charge of water resources              - Member

          Secretary Finance or his representative              - Member

Secretary, Agriculture                                            -  Member

Secretary, MAWS                                                  -  Member

Secretary, Rural Development                              -  Member

Secretary, Industries                                             -  Member

Secretary, Environment and Forests                    -  Member

          Chief Engineer,

Water Resources Organisation                           - Member-Secretary

          2 MPs to be nominated by Government               - Members

          2 MLAs to be nominated by Government             - Members

          Collectors of concerned Districts                         - Members

          District Panchayat Presidents from the                - Members

          basin area

            3 representatives of Water Users Associations- Members

One eminent person from the basin area            - Member

One representative of NGO                                  - Member

7. This Basin Management Committee would take all decisions on behalf of the Basin Management and Development  Board,  prepare the perspective  Plan, Annual plan and Budget  including allocation of water among competing  demands  and to approve all the schemes with regard to the development and management of water resources in the following areas:-

(a)           Irrigation

(b)           Soil conservation

(c)           Domestic Water Supply

(d)           Water Supply and Sewage Schemes of Municipalities

(e)           All other uses of water resources in the basin.

In due course the function of the existing water utilization committee would be taken over by the Basin Management Committee in these two basins.

 8. The above Basin Management Committee would have   full powers to make perspective plan and the annual plan for the activities mentioned in Para 7 above in the basin area, to approve the schemes relating to them in principle and to periodically review the progress of the schemes. The approval of the detailed schemes including financial approval and its implementation will continue to be undertaken by the concerned line Departments. Line Departments would, however, not approve any new scheme related to use of water resources which has not been approved in principle by the Basin Management Committee.

9.The Basin Management Committee would be supported by a Technical Secretariat located in Chennai as a common facility for both the Basins. The core group in the secretariat would comprise

Basin Modeler

GIS Specialist

Sociologist

Environmental Specialist

Economist

Hydrologist

Water Technologist

WRO Engineer

Hydrogeologist

Watershed Manager

Training Specialist

Information Specialist

Administrative Personnel

The Technical Secretariat Officers can  attend the meetings of the Board and the Committee as special invitees as decided by the Basin Management and Development Board and Basin Management Committee.

10. The Technical Secretariat will   have full time employees. These personnel can be employed on deputation basis from Government departments or Autonomous Bodies. They can also be employed on consultancy basis.   All expenses on the Technical Secretariat, Basin Management Committees and Basin Management and Development Boards will be borne under WRCP.

This order issues with the concurrence of Finance Department vide its U O No. 5/FS/P/2001,  dated 3.1.2001. 

(By order of the Governor)

N P Gupta,

Secretary to Government

To

The Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources Organisation Public Works Department Chennai-5

The Chief Engineer, Water Resources Organisation, Public Works Department, Chennai/ Pollachi/ Madurai/ Trichy Regions, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Trichy

All other Chief Engineers, Water Resources Organisation, Public Works Department

The Development Commissioner, Secretariat, Chennai-9

The Secretary to Government, Finance Department, Chennai-9

The Secretary to Government, Public Works Department,Chennai-9

The Secretary to Government, Agriculture Department, Chennai-9

The Secretary to Government, MAWS Department, Chennai-9

The Secretary to Government, Rural Development, Chennai-9

The Secretary to Government, Industries Department, Chennai-9

The Secretary to Government, Environment and Forests Department , Chennai-9

All Member of Parliaments representing the constituencies in the river basin (Through The Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources Organisation Public Works Department Chennai-5)

All Member of Legislative Assembly representing the constituencies in the river basin (through The Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources Organisation Public Works Department Chennai-5)

All Panchayat Union Chairman in the River basin (through The Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources Organisation Public Works Department Chennai-5)

All Municipal Chairmen in the River basin (through The Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources Organisation Public Works Department Chennai-5)

District Panchayat Presidents of the District concerned (through The Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources Organisation Public Works Department Chennai-5)

Presidents of Distributory Level Committee of Water Users Associations

(through The Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources Organisation Public Works Department Chennai-5)

The District Collectors of Districts concerned

The Director of Horticulture, Saidapet, Chennai-15

The Director of Agriculture, Chepauk, Chennai-5

The Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Chennai

The Chief Engineer, Central Water Commission, New Delhi

The Chief Engineer, Agricultural Engineering Department, Chennai-5

The Director of Industries and Commerce, Chennai-5

The Managing Director, TWAD Board, Chennai-5

Superintending Engineers, concerned (through Enginer-in-Chief, Water Resources Organisation, Public Works Department)

The Director of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9

The Director of Fisheries, Teynampet,  Chennai-18

The Director of Animal Husbandry, Chennai

The Director of Tourism, Chennai-15

The Director of Public Health, Chennai

Senior PA to Minister (Public Works and Forest), Chennai-9

Secretary to Chief Minister, Secretariat, Chennai-9

All Irrigation Sections in Public Works Department, Chennai-9

/Forwarded by order/

SECTION OFFICER