Jal Biradari

Agenda for the coming year

The Agenda is divided into two main sections: A Organisational Matters of Jal Biradari -
It is proposed that in order to cany forward the Jal Andolan at the National level, we need to structure the Jal Biradari into a formal network so as to systematically reach out to all the regions and communities of the countries.
The Group agreed to propose the following structure, which may be considered by the General Body present here for any further amendments and / or alterations.

1. A National level steering committee of Jal Biradari should be formed.
2. Each state should have a state level Jal Biradari.
3- Each River Basin should have a river basin based Jal Biradari.
4. The Members of Rashtriya Jal Biradari will also be members of their respective state Jal Biradari.
A Action Plan to be undertaken -
1. One Meeting of the State Jal Biradari should be held in each state within the next year.
2. Immediately a demand should be made to the government that the copies of New Water Policy (2002) should be made available to the public through the web and also as hard copies sent to each of the concerned state departments with instructions for easy accessibility to the public.

3. " Jan Sunwais" (public hearings) should be held immediately in five /ones of the country as follows:
South (Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Praclcsh, Tamil Nadu, Maharastra) Central (Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh)

North (Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Praciesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal,
Jammu & Kashmir)
West (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra)
North East (West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, North Eastern States)
4. The Proposed Agenda of the state level meetings of Jal Biradari is to present the draft water policy, its eomments so far by Jal Bira^lari and Jal Sammelan and in the context of local water issues and problems. In addition they should request the local group's to suggest ways of recharging Ground Water, mobilising opinion, enabling creation of legal, technical and financial environment for conservation of Ground Water. Awareness of the need to conserve the ground water should be undertaken.
5. New Points to be emphasised as suggested by the group were:
- Coordination of as many Departments / Agencies of water in the countiy for enabling Integrated Water Resource Planning.
- National Water Policy should state very clearly that community is the custodian of water.
- Water Management should be based on community control with greater weightagc of Non Government Sector in decision-making.
- In water scarce areas water intensive crops should be banned by law. Compensation should be given to water logged areas. x
- Government position should be clearly spelt out in transbounclary water disputes.
- Integration of Water policies with those of Agriculture, Energy, Forest, and land should be achieved with the community consultation through Advocacy.
- A Distinct and special emphasis should be given to Ground Water exploitation and community control over its augmentation, management, utilisation etc. Community's role must be legally recognised be clearly considered legitimate.
- Community efforts and initiatives for stopping Ground Water exploitation should be given greater financial and legal support by the Government.
- Planning for Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) policy and practice should be decentralised.
- Transparency and good governance in the water sector- with
particular reference to Government and Donor funding should be
mandatory.

-Government funding should discourage subsidy and encourage incentive based allocation on the basis of efficient use of water resource by communities.
-Origin of Rivers needs to be protected through Afforestation, Watershed treatment etc.
6. Most Important- Jal Biradari should create a media cell for further propagation of the ideas and messages of the people's water voice of India.

7. Attempts should be made to join other water fora such as IWP and RPW for spreading the discourse of a people's water policy and practice.
8. Law cell should be established in Jal Biradari.
9. We should propagate the Jal Biradari in all the villages in India and should have Jal Biradari " Jal Yodhas" all over the country.
The Process has started to create water as a mass movement and have public awareness regarding such a vital issue as water, which is the basis of life to have efficient water management and conservation.