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Having put its renewable energy programme in progress mode, India needs to now promote the use of efficient products and services for its water resources, given the country is critically vulnerable to climate change, an environment expert said at a conference held in Singapore. I think it is important that India's Bureau of Water Use Efficiencysimilar to BEEensures that its activities, whether developing standards or regulatory direction, lead to the promotion of efficient use of water in irrigation, municipal and industrial sectors, said Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO of the New Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is a renewable energy-guiding group in India. Ghosh said while work was being done on managing resources, water conservation needs to be scaled up across the country. Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of Ecosperity Week 2025 held from May 5-8 here, Ghosh noted improvements in the expansion of water infrastructure in th
Even as India's overall water storage in major reservoirs has improved significantly over last year, several states are struggling with critically low levels, according to the bulletin issued on Friday. The country's 161 major reservoirs currently hold 57.974 billion cubic meters (BCM) of live storage, accounting for 31.78% of their total capacity, according to the weekly bulletin issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC). This marks an increase from the 49.290 BCM recorded during the same period last year and exceeds the ten-year average of 50.038 BCM. Nationally, the current storage is 117.6% of last year's levels and 115.9% of the normal, a sign of overall improvement. However, this aggregated progress masks stark regional imbalances. The eastern region, covering states like Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal, is facing a sharp water shortage. The region's reservoirs are filled to just 27.87% of their capacity, well below last year's 35.97% and the normal ...
The Central Water Commission (CWC) has reported an improvement in India's reservoir storage levels, with the total live storage in 155 monitored reservoirs reaching 98.974 billion cubic meters (BCM). This represents 55 per cent of their total live storage capacity, marking a 120 per cent increase compared to the same period last year and 116 per cent of the average storage over the past ten years, according to the weekly bulletin released by the CWC. In the northern region that comprises Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, the reservoirs are holding 30 per cent of their total capacity, lower than last year's 40 per cent, indicating a deficit. While in the eastern region (Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Tripura, Nagaland, Bihar), the storage level stood at 54 per cent, slightly below last year's 55 per cent and the normal 57 per cent. In the western region (Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa), the storage has surged to 67 per cent of the capacity, significantly higher than last
The Central Water Commission (CWC) is charting a new course with its Vision 2047, focusing on addressing the evolving challenges posed by climate change, its Chairperson Kushvinder Vora said. In a conversation with PTI, Vora outlined the commission's strategic plan, which is divided into short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals aimed at bolstering India's water management infrastructure. "We are creating Vision 2047 for ourselves, keeping in view the challenges, especially climate change, which has led to new emerging issues," Vora said. He said the strategy involves a comprehensive approach to deal with the immediate, medium, and long-term needs of water management in the country. In the short term, he said the CWC is concentrating on capacity building and the review and revision of existing guidelines. "Wherever needed, guidelines have to be upgraded, and new ideas must be brought in," Vora said. One of the key areas under review is the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) ...
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday visited the Polavaram Project to review works and the project status. This is the first time the chief minister is visiting the site after assuming the office for the fourth term. Naidu landed at the Polavaram Project at 12 pm and was accompanied by Water Resources Minister N Ramanaidu and others. The chief minister inspected the project works and officials explained to him in detail. Following his inspection, the CM is expected to hold an hour-long meeting on the project's progress. Polavaram Project is on the river Godavari near Ramayyapeta village in Polavaram Mandalam of Eluru district, located about 34 km upstream of Kovvuru-Rajahmundry road-cum-rail bridge. It emerges from the last ranges of the Eastern Ghats and enters the plains in the Godavari region. According to the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), the multi-purpose irrigation project is intended to irrigate over 4.3 lakh hectares of land and generate 960 MW