Contents
Introduction
India, with 18% of the world’s population and only 4% of its freshwater resources, faces severe water stress. Climate change, over-extraction of groundwater, pollution, and fragmented governance have exacerbated the water crisis. In this context, the Source to Sea (S2S) approach offers a paradigm shift by linking land-based freshwater management with coastal and marine ecosystems in a single, integrated continuum.
Why India Needs an S2S Approach
- The 2025 UN World Water Development Report emphasizes the importance of mountain glaciers and cryospheric systems as vital “water towers” that feed rivers. Simultaneously, the UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021–30) warns against marine degradation due to upstream pollution. India, with its vast riverine systems feeding into ecologically sensitive coastlines, must bridge this upstream-downstream disconnect.
- Activities like dam construction, sand mining, urban sewage discharge, and agricultural runoff have altered freshwater flows and harmed coastal ecosystems. For instance, excessive pollution in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers has deteriorated marine biodiversity in the Bay of Bengal. Similarly, reduced sediment inflow from the Godavari and Krishna has led to coastal erosion in Andhra Pradesh.
Governance Challenges Hindering S2S Implementation
- Fragmented Institutional Architecture: Water governance in India is divided among multiple ministries—Jal Shakti, Environment, Agriculture, and Urban Development—without integrated coordination.
- Jurisdictional Conflicts: Inter-state rivers like the Cauvery and Krishna are administered by multiple states, often resulting in legal disputes rather than collaborative management.
- Data Silos and Lack of Transparency: Data on river flows, groundwater, and pollution is scattered across agencies, making comprehensive monitoring difficult. This hinders evidence-based policymaking.
- Over-reliance on Groundwater: India extracts ~60% of global groundwater, with over 25% of blocks being critically exploited (CGWB, 2022). This unsustainable use worsens water quality and ecological flows.
- Poor Waste Management: According to CPCB (2022), 311 polluted river stretches exist across 30 states. Over 40% of municipal waste and 70% of sewage remain untreated and are discharged into rivers.
Policy Imperatives for Effective S2S Implementation
- Adopt Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM): The government must align SDG 6.5 (IWRM) with SDG 14.1 (marine pollution from land-based sources) by enforcing basin-level management plans with inter-state cooperation.
- Create a National S2S Authority: A centralized, multi-stakeholder body—similar to the National Ganga Council—should be tasked with holistic planning and coordination from glacier to delta.
- Reform Water Governance Architecture: Restructure existing bodies like the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) into a unified National Water Commission, as recommended by the Mihir Shah Committee (2015).
- Invest in Nature-Based Solutions: Promote wetland restoration, riparian buffer zones, and afforestation in upper catchments to preserve hydrological integrity. The Namami Gange Mission has successfully revived stretches of the Ganga using such methods.
- Leverage Science and Technology: Use remote sensing, AI, and IoT for real-time monitoring of river health, groundwater extraction, and pollution load. Open-data platforms should be created to democratize water data.
- Empower Local Governance: Encourage water user associations, village water committees, and urban local bodies to manage local catchments with technical and financial support.
Conclusion
India’s future water security and ecological resilience hinge on transcending fragmented, sectoral approaches and adopting the S2S framework. As upstream interventions inevitably impact downstream ecosystems, embracing this continuum is essential not only to meet climate and development goals, but also to preserve the integrity of the country’s lifelines—from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean.
