Application of an SEA framework in Palar River

Application of an SEA framework in Palar River Basin Tamil Nadu, India Presentation at Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Sesssion February 26, Water. Week ’ 04 N. Harshadeep South Asia Environmental and Social Development Unit (SASES) The World Bank

The Framework Merging SEA & IWRM Approaches “Do No Harm”: Minimize environmental/social risks “Do Good”: Maximize sustainable environmental/social benefits Maximize Sustainable Productivity of Water (Net Benefits of Water) Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Integrated Water Resources Planning & Management (IWRM) [Basin EA = Sectoral EA + Regional EA] Issues/Information Proactive Scoping/Screening Cumulative Impact Assessment Analysis of Alternatives Stakeholder Consultation Policy/Institutional Reforms Upstream Input into Decision Making Knowledge Base Supply, Demand, Quality Holistic Basin Framework Scenario Analysis; Modeling Stakeholder Participation Institutional Capacity Building Decision Support Systems Sustainable Basin Planning & Management

Limitations of Approach Limited awareness of environmental issues, SEA, or IWRM n Multiplicity of Stakeholders n Fragmentation of Institutions n Lack of effective consultative frameworks n Limitations of Knowledge Base/Analysis n Strong political will to implement recommendations n Mental move from “crisis management” to “shared vision planning and management” …but there are few other options left for many basins such as the Palar… n

Location & Characteristics of the Palar Basin Characteristics TAMIL NADU IRS, River IWS, Taramani, Chennai 600 113 • Basin Area: 18, 300 km 2 (10, 910 km 2 in TN) Basin Map • Rainfall: 1039 mm (SW: 458 mm; NE: 461 mm) • Potential Supply: About 1, 500 MCM SW; 2, 700 Palar Basin MCM GW • Current Demands: 2560 MCM (88% Irrigation) • Industries: 88 large; 22, 695 small (30 MLD effluent) • River flows for 15 days in year! • Storage: 11 reservoirs, 4, 900 rainfed tanks and 661 “system” tanks • About 250, 000 wells (mostly dug wells) • GW: 50% blocks over-exploited; 41% critical/semi-critical • Population: 5. 4 million (62 million in TN) Boundaries are indicative and may be under dispute • Agricultural land: 63% • Farmers: 62% marginal (<0. 5 ha); 18% small (0. 51 ha) and 20% medium&large (>1 ha) First Multi-Stakeholder Basin Board in South Asia Region • About 450 Tannery units (in Vellore) with 9

Overall Typical Environmental Issues in a Basin Context (environmental awareness, competition for water, growing demands, construction and operation-related safeguards, environmental knowledge base and decision support systems, adequacy of policies, institutions, instruments, incentives & coordination in management of the resource base and service delivery; cultural property Climate & Disasters management, appropriate indigenous knowledge use) (droughts, floods and other natural Land & Forest Management disasters, climate change) (catchment protection for soil and water conservation, soil degradation, incl. salinization, biodiversity conservation, recharge, water Fisheries-related harvesting, non-point source runoff) Industry & Power (exotic species, access to resources, disease & pollution) (access to required water, industrial effluent and sludge management, thermal Dams pollution, industrial disasters) (siltation, dam safety, Rural Water Supply & Sanitation downstream releases) (access to clean water, pollution of local water bodies, drinking water quality & testing) Irrigation (access to water, waterlogging, water quality, siltation/erosion) Urban (health benefits from access to clean water and sanitation, domestic and stormwater runoff treatment/management, sludge management, solid and hazwaste management) Tourism (waste management, seasonal demands) Navigation (dredging spoil management, spills) Agriculture & Livestock (pesticide and fertilizer pollution, livestock fodder, grazing land availability, medicinal plants, pest/pesticide management, organic cultivation, clean milk production) Environment Groundwater-Related (Overexploitation; Pollution from natural sources – e. g. of As, Fl; and from anthropogenic sources – e. g. of Nitrates, Pesticides, TDS) (water quality/pollution monitoring, instream flow requirements (incl. community use), wetlands protection, biodiversity conservation, sand Coastal Zone Management mining) (Saline water intrusion, coastal wetland management, ocean pollution, coastal hazard management, fisheries-related)

Palar Basin Multiple Issues for Multiple Stakeholders Palar Basin Board & Secretariat Water Resources Organization Institute for Water Studies Water Pollution Agr. Dept/Agr. Engr. Dept Tank Degradation (Tanneries, Waste Dumps, Textiles, Other Industries, WUA/Farmers Domestic, Fertilizer/Pesticide) Livestock Department TWAD Board Sand Mining Water Scarcity Salt-impacted Agricultural Productivity Metro. Water Inter-Basin Transfe Competing Water Uses Forest Department & Unclear Entitlements Industry Department Tanneries/CLRI Rural Water Supply Fisheries Department Catchment Degradation TNEB Environment Department Water Harvesting TN Pollution Control Board Urban Water Supply & Sewerage Loss of Ecology Comm. Coastal Zone Management Industrialists Tank/Canal/Groundwater Irrigated Agriculture Local Government Groundwater Management Academia NGOs, Politicians, etc.

n Consultant Inputs n Knowledge Base Development n Background Notes/Presentations n Training/Awareness Building n Vision Statement & Action Plan n Mainstreaming into work supported by Tamil Nadu Water Resources Consolidation Project (TNWRCP) with WRO, Work Undertaken So Far IWS, State Surface and GW Data Center, River basin boards, technical secretariat, environmental cells, multi-disciplinary project preparation panel, industry groups, agriculture dept, Agr. Engr. Dept, Water User Associations, Research Institutions, Academia, etc.

Summary of Key Environmental Issues & Possible Approaches in the Palar Basin • WW Treatment • HRTS 3. Impact Related Problems (Agriculture/Health) 1. Water Pollution • IPM/IPNM • Other • Optimize Cropping Patterns and Irrigation Technologies • IPM/IPNM • Manage Pollution 2. Resource Degradation • Supply-Side (Desilt Tanks as appropriate, Improve Recharge, regulate sand mining) • Demand-Side (Use less water intensive crops & irrigation systems) • Management (Improve water regulation)

Interaction of Issues Social Environmental Pollution (from industry, settlements) Sand mining Groundwater depletion Tank siltation Catchment degradation Sustainable agriculture Livelihoods Equity Access to clean water Social structure Migration Poverty Alleviation Health Sustainable Incomes Subsidies Efficiency Sustainable Growth Investment Prioritization Economic

Progression of Issues in the Palar • Costs involved in repairing tanks and Macro Economic Basin Wide Issues (Costs of Remediation; Shifting, Rehabilitation of structures, etc. ) Distortion on Employment and Income Generation (Loss of livelihood; Occupational shifts and migrations) Risks to Health & Ecosystems (Water borne diseases; Occupational health; Bioaccumulation of pollutants) Degradation of Environment (Water; Soil; Crops; Infrastructure) Depletion of Resources (Water; Forests; Sand) shifting water supply structures • Labour shifts from agriculture to industrial sector • Prevalence of water borne disease and other health problems • Increased pollution of ground and surface waters • Degradation of Tanks and water supply structures • Siltation in tanks and intake channels • Decrease in the yield and quality of agricultural crops • Decreased availability of water due to overexploitation of groundwater resources; Increased sand mining in the Basin

Targeted Outcomes n n Enhance knowledge base & analytical capacity Provide a focal point for stakeholder participation n n n n Improve Awareness Move to more level playing field Elicit and discuss multiple stakeholder perspectives Develop shared vision planning of basin Improve networking, coordination Inform decisions (e. g. tasks, investment priorities) Determine priorities, “low hanging fruit” and areas of conflict Move towards resolution of problems

Stakeholder Meetings Key Ingredients (e. g. Dec’ 03 mtg in Kancheepuram) Good Stakeholder Group Political Support Balanced Breakout Groups Facilities/ Equipment Effective Facilitation Enthusiastic Participation Information Resources & Preparatory Work Hard work Behind-the-Scenes Structured Interaction

Draft Vision Statement for the Palar Basin Board n The Palar River Basin Management and Development Board (PRBMDB) seeks to improve, safeguard and monitor the water and land resources programs of its member organizations. As an apex body, the PRBMDB endeavors the primary role in sustainable water resources planning and management in an integrated manner covering the activities of all departments concerned. n n n To promote, advice, direct and coordinate sustainable management and development of water, land forest resources including the environmental aspects in the basin. To increase awareness, participation and commitment of people and to protect and enhance their wellbeing. To follow a participatory, transparent and objective approach and become a model for other river basins in India.

Structured Process to move from Vision to Action Vision Principles Objectives Issues Strategies Problem solving process Tactics How will it be done? Tasks/Actions What? Alternatives? Who? When? Where? Resources? Capacity? Indicators? Policy/Regulations Institutions Information Instruments Resources

Sample Group Worksheet Table Entry Objective Strategy Tactics Tasks Group on Resource Degradation Objective One: Groundwater Resource Restoration STRATEGY TACTICS Ø Ø Ø Water Demand Management Artificial Recharge Mininise Sand Mining Change In Cropping Pattern Ø Ø Ø TASKS Ø Water Reuse & Recycling Withdrawal Priorities Micro Irrigation Systems RWH at Community Level Conjunctive Use Substitutes For Sand Implementation In Critical Areas Ø Ø Ø Ø Systematic Assessment Of Resources Municipal Sewage Treatment And Use Awareness Creation Apportioning Among Sources/Sectors Augmentation Through Recharge Structures Community Wells Research And Development for Substitute For Sand Sprinkler Drip Irrigation

A Proposed Development Plan

Draft Action Plan: Key Elements

n Refinement, initial implementation & monitoring of Action Plans on: Next Steps n n Pollution Management Health and Agriculture Water Resources Integration into Proposed Successor TN Water Resources Project (social and environmental assessment, decision support systems, investments considered, partnerships facilitated) A long way to go, but a good start…

…Summing Up n Requirements for an SEA approach for IWRM n n n n Manifestation of real problems Political, bureaucratic & other stakeholder commitment to achieve consensus to move ahead; emergence of champions The 4 Is: Institutions, Information, Instruments, Incentives Work demonstrates inextricably interlinked nature of environmental, social, economic and water issues A Structured SEA process complements and supplements basin management Processes are as important as Products Shows great potential for other basins – but it is essential to develop customized approaches for each basin!