The Central Water Commission (CWC) is charting a new course with its Vision 2047, focusing on addressing the evolving challenges posed by climate change, its Chairperson Kushvinder Vohra said.
Vohra outlined the commission’s strategic plan, which is divided into short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals aimed at bolstering India’s water management infrastructure.
“We are creating Vision 2047 for ourselves, keeping in view the challenges, especially climate change, which has led to new emerging issues,” Vohra said.
He said the strategy involves a comprehensive approach to deal with the immediate, medium, and long-term needs of water management in the country.
In the short term, he said the CWC is concentrating on capacity building and the review and revision of existing guidelines.
“Wherever needed, guidelines have to be upgraded, and new ideas must be brought in,” Vohra said.
One of the key areas under review is the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) consideration, where the commission is working on new guidelines to assess risk and manage water flow from glacial lakes and rainfall.
The CWC is also focusing on improving monitoring capabilities, which Vohra described as crucial for handling the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
“We are now seeing more rainfall in less time, leading to flood situations in urban areas, even in regions like Rajasthan. This is all due to climate change,” he explained.