Bihar's new water policy in the offing

Bihar’s Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) minister Ashwini Chaubey talking to media on new water policy in Patna on June 28, 2009.
Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui


New water policy in the offing

Bihar’s PHED minister Ashwini Chaubey said the state government would soon come out with its water policy with a view to promote water conservation and its efficient use.

"Bihar government will soon come out with its water policy soon to tackle the scarcity of potable water...I have made some recommendations to the Centre to tackle with the problems of potable water. These recommendations will also form part of the proposed water policy," he said in Patna after returning from Singapore where he attended the International Water Week.

He said water harvesting would be given utmost importance and it would be made a mandatory provision in the Apartment Act and the state government was considering incentives like reducing holding tax to give a fillip to it.

Choubey said he had suggested the setting up of a ground water regulatory authority to check harnessing of ground water. Besides, there should be a coordination committee to encourage the use of surface water, instead of ground water so that it could be conserved.
There is need to create awareness among the people that potable water is precious and scarce, he said.