(a) whether several areas of Coastal States are facing acute water logging and soil erosion problem;
(b) if so, the details of those areas, State-wise; and
(c) the effective steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to tackle the problem?
(a) whether several areas of Coastal States are facing acute water logging and soil erosion problem;
(b) if so, the details of those areas, State-wise; and
(c) the effective steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to tackle the problem?
THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES ( SHRI ARJUN CHARAN SETHI)
(a) to (c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF
STARRED QUESTION NO.516 TO BE ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON
23.4.2001 REGARDING SOIL EROSION IN COASTAL STATES.
Yes sir, some areas of the maritime States/U.T. of West
Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Kerala,
Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Pondicherry are
facing the problem of water logging and soil erosion.
Details of these areas statewise are given in Annex-I.
Flood Control including water logging problem and soil
erosion is a State subject. The responsibility of planning,
funding and execution of schemes related to these works
primarily lies with the concerned State Governments.
However, at the Central level, in so far as the problem
of water logging is concerned, the Ministry of Water
Resources have taken preventive measures in the form of
Command Area Development (CAD) – activities like
construction of field channels and field drains, warabandi
for equitable distribution of water, land leveling and
shaping, adoption of suitable cropping pattern for
scientific use of water for its efficient utilization. This
would help in promoting the judicious use of water. At
places where water logging has already taken place, remedial
measures are being taken for which a new component
“Reclamation of water logged areas in irrigated commandsâ€
has been included under the CAD programme since 01.4.1996.
Under this component, 50% central assistance is admissible
to state government on matching basis. At present, the norm
of central assistance is @ Rs.6000/- per ha. or 50% of the
total cost of the reclamation whichever is less.
As regards soil erosion in the coastal States, the
following two centrally sponsored schemes have been
formulated by the Central Government.
(a) Critical anti-erosion works in Ganga Basin States and
raising and strengthening of existing embankments along Kosi
and Gandak rivers, estimated cost Rs.159.33 crore (Central
Share Rs.128.50 crore). This scheme includes West Bengal
for providing central assistance for river erosion works.
This scheme has been approved by the Government and is in operation.
(b) Critical anti erosion works in coastal and other than
Ganga basin states, estimated cost Rs.39.97 crore (Central
share Rs.30 crore). This scheme has been approved by the
Expenditure Finance Committee and is awaiting the approval
of the Full Planning Commission.
While provision for river erosion in respect of
West Bengal is covered under the scheme at Sl. No. (a)
above, the provision for sea erosion for all the
maritime States/U.T. and river erosion for such states
other than West Bengal has been made in the scheme at
Sl. No.(b) above.
ANNEX-I
STARRED QUESTION NO.516 TO BE ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA
ON 23.4.2001 REGARDING SOIL EROSION IN COASTAL STATES.
STATEWSIE DETAILS OF WATER LOGGED AREAS AS ASSESSSED BY
THE WORKING GROUP (1991) CONSTITUTED BY MINISRY OF
WATER RESORUCES AND THE AREA LIABLE TO FLOODS
(INCLUDING SOIL EROSION) AS ASSESSED BY RASHTRIYA BARH
AYOG (1980) IN RESPECT OF MARTITIME STATES/U.T.
S.No. State/U.T. Water logged Area liable to area (M.ha.) floods (including soil erosion) (M.ha.)
1. West Bengal - 2.65 2. Orissa 0.19626 1.40 3. Andhra Pradesh 0.26640 1.39 4. Tamil Nadu 0.01619 0.45 5. Kerala 0.01161 0.87 6. Karnataka 0.02454 0.02 7. Goa - - 8. Maharashtra 0.01535 0.23 9. Gujarat 0.17259 1.39 10. Pondicherry - 0.01
Total 0.70294 8.41