Water policy is need of the hour: Thangkabalu

Delivering his address at the ‘National Consultation on Restoration of Environmental Flow of Rivers, Alternative Ways to Share and Manage River Basin Water Resources’, Thangkabalu said that only 4 percentage of total water is usable. Among the sources of drinking water in the state, Thamirabarani river plays a vital role as it originates in Tamil Nadu.

Rest of the rivers originate in the neighbouring states and so Tamil Nadu is a lower riparian state. Hence conservation of water should be taken up immediately and for that, a broad water policy should be framed. This is the condition in every state, he said.

Every water policy should be based on three components namely water for drinking, water for farming and water for industries. “Top priority should be given for drinking and then for farming. Only the surplus water should be given to industries. But, sadly that is not happening.

Governments give priority to industries and this can be prevented only when a broad water policy is drafted,” said Thangkabalu.