Kharagpur: Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz on Thursday called for immediate action to make a realistic assessment of climate change on water resources.

“The effect of climate change on water is bound to have an impact on agriculture, ecology, as well as on health-related issues”, he said while addressing “Kshitij 2008,” an annual techno-management festival organised at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

The event would see the participation of 2,500 students and many more, including some from overseas, through the internet. Climate change and global warming was chosen as the inaugural theme of this year’s fest.

Mr. Soz said it was important to act fast to evaluate the consequence of climate change in river-flow or groundwater characteristic and also identify “adaptation strategies.”

He said the government was very serious about the issue and it was identified as one of the thrust areas of research. It was proposed to undertake studies jointly by government’s apex organisations, research stations and academic institutions.

He described as historic the decision taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to institute a National Council on Climate Change.

While noting that poorer and developing nations had greater challenges to face from climate change, Mr. Soz took a dig at the former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore, who opposed the Kyoto Protocol.

Later talking to Hindu The, Mr. Soz said: “Mr. Gore said recently in Bali that it was his country that blocked the programme in combating climate disaster. I felt sympathy for him. He came to the Kyoto meeting in 1997 and pleaded strongly with the EU and the G77 countries that they should not go for the Kyoto protocol, saying the time was not ripe for adopting mandated responsibilities. Many felt at that time that he was carrying wrong brief.”

Mr. Soz was led the Indian delegation at Kyoto.

He said the Prime Minister had rightly emphasised that while it was the developed countries which should take the major responsibility of reducing emissions through mandated cuts, developing countries, such as India, should do whatever is possible to reduce emissions.

Comprehensive programme

“India has already devised a comprehensive programme of adopting a clean development mechanism, and non-conventional energy sources is receiving the required attention.”

Earlier, participating in an interactive session with students, he said a vigorous movement was needed to step up research, for which adequate fund allocations was necessary.