KARNATAKA’S WATER POLICY 2022

The State of Mysore, now recognized as Karnataka, is a state in southwest India known for its
heritage monuments as well as several other tourist attractions. It is plagued by severe water
shortages and is ranked among the top three states in India in terms of water scarcity. However, the
Karnataka government recently issued a new Water Policy to replace the one that was in existence
since 2002. Given the 15 droughts in the previous two decades, shifting scenarios of water supply
demand, and new difficulties, I believe this event is a fantastic move by the government. Instead of
focusing on building new water supply infrastructure, as was the case with the 2002 policy, the
Water Policy 2022 is more focused on managing water within the constraints of the budget at hand,
providing guidance to maximise the use of scarce water resources, and bolstering water resource
management. One of the primary features of the programme that I appreciated the most was how
the government wanted to support industries in water conservation, encourage businesses to save
water, increase water recycling, and reduce the release of harmful water into the environment. This
action, in my opinion, was fundamentally necessary, especially in a state like Karnataka, and it will
undoubtedly have an influence on the legal systems of other states, which will strengthen water
management. Another excellent move by the government is that Karnataka will offer incentives,
both monetary and material, to promote natural farming, organic farming, zero budget natural
farming, and Integrated Farming System (IFS), which has as one of its goals the reduction of
evapotranspiration losses and an increase in farmer income.

The government's "Restrict extraction" strategy, in my opinion, was a bad decision given that three-
fifths of Karnataka are already vulnerable to drought, and the near future is much more foreboding.
According to the extent and zone of exploitation, this policy recommends that groundwater
extraction be limited for both home and commercial usage. Notably, 26% of the state's total water
usage comes from groundwater, which poses a concern for many households.

-Anika Tandon