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Context

• Recently, the first census of waterbodies was released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Definition of Water Body

• The census defines a waterbody as -

“all-natural or man-made units bounded on all sides with some or no masonry work used for storing water for irrigation or other purposes (example industrial, pisciculture, domestic/drinking, recreation, religious, groundwater recharge etc)”

• Waterbodies are usually of various types known by different names like tank, reservoirs, ponds and bundhies etc.
• A structure where water from ice-melt, streams, springs, rain or drainage of water from residential or other areas is accumulated or water is stored by diversion from a stream, nala or river will also be treated as waterbody.

Census Enumeration

• 24,24,540 waterbodies have been enumerated in the country, out of which 97.1% (23,55,055) are in rural areas and only 2.9% (69,485) in urban areas.
• The census also collected data on the encroachment of waterbodies for the first time.

Findings of the Census

Total number of Water Bodies

• India has 24 lakh water bodies like ponds, tanks and lakes.

Waterbodies based on type

• As per the report:
  • 59.5 per cent (14,42,993) of waterbodies are ponds,
  • Tanks (15.7 per cent i.e. 3,81,805),
  • Reservoirs (12.1 per cent i.e. 2,92,280),
  • Water conservation schemes/percolation tanks/check dams (9.3% i.e. 2,26,217),
  • Lakes (0.9% i.e. 22,361) and
  • Others (2.5% i.e. 58,884).
• West Bengal tops the list of States with the most ponds and reservoirs: 47 lakh.
• West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas has been ranked as the top district having the highest (3.55 lakh) number of waterbodies across the country.

Encroached Water Bodies

• The census also collected data on the encroachment of waterbodies for the first time.
• 6% waterbodies out of all the enumerated waterbodies are reported to be encroached, out of which 95.4% are in rural areas and remaining 4.6% in urban areas.
• Out of all encroached waterbodies, 62.8% have less than 25% area under encroachment, whereas 11.8% waterbodies have more than 75% area under encroachment.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Which of the following statements are correct with reference to India’s First Census of Water Bodies? a)    India’s first census of waterbodies was conducted in the year 2011. b)    India has 50 lakh water bodies like ponds, tanks, and lakes. c)    West Bengal tops the list of States with the most ponds and reservoirs. d)    The census also collected data on the encroachment of waterbodies for the first time. 1.    a and b only 2.    b and c only 3.    c and d only 4.    All of the above. Correct Answer: Option 3

 

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bengal-tops-list-of-states-with-most-ponds-and-reservoirs-first-ever-waterbody-census-8567772/