Assam Water Bodies Census: The census of Assam’s water bodies reveals an alarming situation as 95.3 percent are privately held, while only 4.7% are publicly owned.
The bulk of water bodies in Assam is privately held (95.3 percent (1,64,411), with the remaining 4.7 percent (8,081) being publicly owned.
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Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Ministry of Jal Shakti undertook the first-ever census of water bodies in India.
First Ever Census on Water Bodies in India
Jal Shakti Ministry Releases Report Enumerating Over 24 Lakh Water Bodies
Census Reveals Crucial Insights Into The Country’s Water Resourceshttps://t.co/ZKMCBFpI9j
Historic initiative by @MoJSDoWRRDGR . đź‘Ź đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/Z33hyJSKNK
— Archana Varma IAS (@archanavarmaIAS) April 23, 2023
This census is part of the officially supported “Irrigation Census” initiative, and it intends to produce a comprehensive national record of all water bodies, including natural and man-made water bodies such as ponds, tanks, and lakes.
The census gathers information about water bodies such as their kind, condition, encroachment status, use, storage capacity, and more. It applies to both rural and urban water bodies, whether or not they are in use.
In the state of Assam, the census found some significant findings. Out of the 1,72,492 water bodies counted in Assam, 98.6% (1,70,112) are in rural regions, while the remaining 1.4% (2,380) are in urban areas. The bulk of water bodies in Assam is privately held (95.3 percent (1,64,411), with the remaining 4.7 percent (8,081) being publicly owned. This illustrates the state’s reliance on private entities for ownership of water bodies.
Out of all the water bodies in Assam, 98.2% (1,69,352) are in use, while the remaining 1.8% (3,140) are not for a variety of causes including drying up, siltation, salinity, and devastation beyond repair. The majority of the water bodies in use are used for pisciculture, followed by domestic/drinking uses. Assam has 3,989 natural and 1,68,503 man-made bodies of water. The majority of man-made water bodies, 98.6 percent (1,66,213), are in rural areas, with the remaining 1.4 percent (2,290) in urban areas.
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