Dy CM: Frame policy for hill states to mitigate climate change impact

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today said a special policy should be framed for hill states facing the challenges posed by climate change along with grant of a special financial package to Himachal for environment protection.

Agnihotri was speaking at the second All-India State Water Ministers Conference being held at Udaipur in Rajasthan. Addressing the gathering, Agnihotri said the Centre should give a special package to Himachal, which is suitable for the geographical and inaccessible conditions of the hilly areas.

He said 65 per cent of the state falls under forest area which is under the jurisdiction of the Central Government. “Due to this, the availability of land for development projects becomes limited. Himachal Pradesh has a major contribution in water conservation, environment and ecology in the form of conservation of forests for which it must be compensated by the Centre by way of a special package,” he said.

“Parameters of central grant given to the hill states should be made flexible as it is not possible for the hill states to implement a policy prepared uniformly for the whole country because the construction cost and other expenses are higher in the hill states due to complex geographical structure and inaccessible conditions as compared to the plains,” said the Deputy Chief Minister

Citing scientific studies, he said that Himalayan glaciers were melting at the rate of 20-30 mts per decade, increasing uncertainty in river flow and volume and deepening the water crisis. “This is having a serious impact on drinking water, irrigation and hydropower generation,” he said, emphasising on the need for climate-tolerant policies and advanced scientific interventions.

He underlined the need for innovation-based solutions to tackle the issue of water crisis, triggered by untimely rains and less snowfall. He added that water management should be made more sustainable as the water level in most sources is continuously decreasing.

Agnihotri further stated that the state government has provided tap facilities to every household but keeping in view the challenge of water scarcity providing water to every tap could become a big challenge. “To address the problem of water shortage, we have to encourage rainwater harvesting and recharging of existing water sources for which special central assistance should be given to the hill states,” he urged.

He demanded Rs 2,000 crore to Himachal for completion of about 1,000 incomplete drinking water supply schemes under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). He sought special funding window for the mountain states to construct anti-freeze water supply schemes which include insulated pipelines, heated tap systems and solar-powered pumps, to ensure uninterrupted water supply for 12 months in the tribal and cold areas of Himachal's Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba.