Water Conservation in India: Ahmedabad Conference Sets Agenda
Ahmedabad water conference puts community action at the centre of India’s 2047 plans
India’s water future came under discussion in Ahmedabad on Saturday as policymakers, researchers, water experts, industry representatives and grassroots workers met to examine how the country can protect its water resources over the next two decades.
The national conference, titled ‘Bharat Discourses on Water @2047’, was held at KCG Auditorium and organised by Udgam Charitable Trust in association with the Centre for Water Peace (CWP), Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation (SPMRF) and i-Hub.
A central message from the meeting was that water conservation cannot depend only on government projects. Speakers called for greater public awareness, better use of water and stronger participation by local communities.
Padma Bhushan Dr Anil Prakash Joshi said water should be understood in relation to life, nature and human society. He called for a “Water for All” approach and said people must take responsibility for protecting water resources.
“The vision must be ‘Water for All’. But this can only become a reality when every individual understands their relationship with nature and takes responsibility for conserving every drop. Water security cannot be created through infrastructure alone; it requires a change in our mindset, lifestyle and relationship with our natural resources. If we work together- communities, institutions, governments and citizens- we can ensure that water remains available for every life and every generation,” Joshi said.
The issue is particularly important because India depends heavily on groundwater. The Central Ground Water Board says groundwater provides about 62% of irrigation water, 85% of rural water supply and 50% of urban water supply in the country. Its latest assessments also track groundwater recharge, extraction and the condition of individual assessment units.
The pressure is greatest in agriculture. The World Bank estimates that agriculture accounts for 80% to 90% of India’s water use. It says the growing dependence on groundwater has contributed to depletion in several parts of the country. Better irrigation systems, regular groundwater monitoring and local water budgeting are among the measures being used to reduce pressure on supplies.
For Gujarat, the subject has a direct local connection. A state government assessment says groundwater scarcity is concentrated in parts of North Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kachchh. It also points to erratic rainfall, high irrigation demand, geological conditions and salinity as factors affecting water availability in different parts of the state.
At the Ahmedabad meeting, Padma Shri Umashankar Pandey placed local communities at the centre of water conservation. Pandey is known for his work in Jakhni village in Uttar Pradesh, where community participation was used to improve groundwater conservation and create water storage structures. The Government of India’s Padma award citation records the development of Jakhni as a water-secure village and the spread of its conservation approach to other areas.
Pandey said, “Solutions to India’s water challenges come from every village, every community and every citizen. Every village, every community and every citizen have a role to play. When people take ownership of their local water resources, protect traditional systems and work collectively, water conservation becomes a movement rather than just a programme. Our traditional wisdom has always taught us to respect and preserve water; we now need to bring that collective spirit back into our everyday lives.”
The conference also looked at older Indian methods of storing and managing water. Discussions included johads, baolis, kunds and other traditional harvesting systems, along with groundwater protection, river rejuvenation, climate risks, urban water supply, new technology and water governance.
Government documents record a wide range of traditional water systems across India. Johads, for example, collect rainwater and support groundwater recharge. Baolis and kunds have also been used in water-scarce regions for storage and community supply.
Community participation is also part of current government water programmes. The National Water Mission, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, focuses on reducing water wastage, improving water-use efficiency and supporting more balanced distribution of water. Its stated target includes a 20% improvement in water-use efficiency by 2030.
The Atal Bhujal Yojana has followed a community-based approach to groundwater management in seven states, including Gujarat. The World Bank has reported that the programme has involved local water budgeting and groundwater monitoring, with communities taking part in decisions on how much water is available and how it should be used.
Dr Mayur Joshi, Managing Trustee of Udgam Charitable Trust, said the responsibility for water security extends beyond government departments.
“Water security cannot be achieved by governments alone. It requires awareness, behavioural change and collective action. We endeavour to take the conversation from conference halls to communities and make water conservation a shared responsibility,” he said.
The conference included Shri Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and former President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations; Shri Binay Kumar Singh, Director, SPMRF; Padma Shri Sathpal Singh; Dr Vivek Kumar, Head of the Centre for Rural Development and Technology at IIT Delhi; Prof. (Dr.) Ami Upadhyay, Vice Chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University; Shri Dilip Rana IAS, Commissioner of Higher Technical Education, Government of Gujarat; Shri Umakant Umrao, Senior IAS officer and Principal Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh; Padma Shri Mahesh Sharma; Shri Chiranjivi Patel; and Shri Vijay Baghel, known as the ‘Greenman of India’.
The presence of university representatives also highlighted the need for a stronger academic focus on water management. With groundwater, agriculture, urban growth and climate pressures linked closely, universities and research institutions have a growing role in training professionals who can work across these areas.
The discussions are expected to feed into a proposed ‘Bharat Water Manifesto 2047’. The proposed document would carry forward the conference’s focus on water conservation, community participation and responsible use.
India’s water challenge will vary from one region to another. Gujarat’s groundwater concerns differ from those of Punjab, Rajasthan or the north-eastern states. That makes local data and local participation important when water policies are put into practice.
The Ahmedabad conference placed that point at the centre of its discussions: the country’s long-term water plans will eventually depend on decisions made much closer to the ground, including how villages, farms, towns, institutions and households use and protect water today.
