Mapping of Natural Water Bodies

Increased incidence of high intensity rainfall in short duration is mainly responsible for urban floods which is further compounded by unplanned growth, encroachment of natural water bodies, poor drainage system, etc. Management of urban flooding and works related to preservation and conservation of water bodies, their enumeration, protection from encroachment, or diversion for use for other purposes, comes under the purview of the State Government/Urban Local Body/Urban Development Authority concerned. However, from time to time, this Ministry conducts census of minor irrigation schemes in the country which captures data regarding water bodies in rural areas associated with irrigation.

There is no proposal under consideration of Government of India for setting up a national level regulatory mechanism to check encroachments of water bodies.

Regulation, preservation and conservation of water bodies including river beds, lakes, etc., and prevention of their illegal encroachments comes under the purview of the State Government/Urban Development Authorities concerned. As per the lst Census of water bodies in convergence with the Sixth Minor Irrigation Census (reference year 2017-18), under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme -“Irrigation Census” conducted by this Ministry, there are 24,24,540 water bodies in the country, out of which 38,496 water bodies are reported to have been encroached. State-wise details of water bodies are given in the Annexure.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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ANNEXURE

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