Meghalaya has recently come up with a Water Policy but implementing the Policy will require that some things are streamlined. The State had legislated the Meghalaya Protection of Catchment Areas Act 1990 but discovered that implementing the Act is a tall order because of the multiplicity of institutions whose jurisdictions overlap. As a result the Act is infructuous and water sources have been surreptitiously privatized. Incidentally the Water Policy in its draft form was not discussed with the major stakeholders – the people of Meghalaya. Yet again this is a top-down approach. Ironically the Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong said that community participation alone can make this Policy work. If a Policy is already in place, then people are only expected to conform without being consulted. Does the Government have all the wisdom? Aren’t the users of water more able to throw light on the daily problems they face? Unless problems are clearly understood how can Government come up with solutions? Most of our rivers including the two major ones that flow through Shillong, namely the Umshyrpi and Umkhrah have been heavily polluted through anthropogenic activities throughout their length and breadth. People are now in the habit of dumping garbage into rivers. Will they stop doing that merely because a Water Policy is in place?
Government language is of course loaded with purple prose. It says the “Water Policy intends to achieve sustainable development, management and use of water resources with community participation. This will improve health and livelihood and reduce vulnerability among the people. This will also assure of good governance for present and future generations through integrated water resources management and environmental sustainability.” This looks good on paper. It is the implementation part that is challenging.
The Policy has also outlined the protection of catchment areas and prevention of river pollution. As rightly envisaged, community participation is integral. The Government says it will reach the villages with this Policy. Considering the water stress around the world today, Meghalaya had better take heed. Many localities still allow drilling of underground water. Today when the ground water levels have receded so drastically the Policy must ensure that drilling of underground water is halted and that rain water harvesting is executed in more scientific ways so that surface water does not run off but is recharged into the ground. In fact there is need today to even recycle and reuse grey water from the kitchen and bathrooms excluding sewage water and directing it into a filtration tank for use in gardens and toilets etc. These are matters that require public awareness. The Water Policy will work only if the public accepts it in good faith. However, the Policy is a welcome step!