As the State prepares to grapple with a harsh summer, the State government has formed a 12-member panel headed by the Chief Secretary for preparing an action plan for the optimum utilisation and conservation of water in the State.
The committee was formed as per directions issued by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to all States and Union Territories (UTs).
With the Secretary, Water Resources, as its convenor, the panel includes senior officials of departments of water resources, planning, irrigation, groundwater, information and public relations and Kerala Water Authority (KWA) as members. It will also include two subject experts, said a March 3 order issued by the government.
As per a January 10 direction from the Union Ministry, all State and UTs have to prepare action plans for the optimum utilisation of monsoon rainfall and improving efficiency in water use and share it with the Ministry.
On its part, the Ministry will give shape to a management information system (MIS) to monitor the implementation of the action plan. It will also form a committee at the national level chaired by the secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
In May 2018, the Centre had organised discussions on measures to be adopted in the States for the efficient conservation and use of water, especially monsoon rainfall.
The southwest monsoon in 2019 was a normal one for Kerala with the State receiving just 13% in excess of the expected rainfall. (Rainfall is deemed 'normal' if the percentage departure from the normal rainfall for a given period is between -19% and +19%). Kerala had received 27% excess rainfall during the 2019 northeast monsoon which lasted from October 1 to December 31. But the State reported 57% deficiency in winter rainfall during January and February 2020.
