Parched Present, Parched Future

Water scarcity and heatwaves have been prominent in large parts of the country which have been reeling under a drought-like situation.

Effect of Heatwaves and water stress on India

Heatwaves killed hundreds and the accompanying water scarcity accentuated the vulnerability and crisis situation this year.

In cities like Chennai and Ranchi, water stress led to violent clashes and distress.

The lakes and reservoirs dried up and people had to fight and fend for water for their everyday needs.

Reasons for “groundwater drought” like situation in India

India is a country that is guzzling its groundwater at a rate unmatched by any other and is not treated as a public good.

Delay in monsoon and poor rainfall.

Lowering water tables across the country.

Even eastern India, which is considered as “water-affluent,” is staring at a future with groundwater drought.

Unequal access to water across India

There is an inherent inequality in distribution and a failure to share water judiciously.

It is evident in megacities like Delhi and Mumbai where access depends on income and social status.

In Chennai, while apartment buildings could afford to pay for three or four tankers per day, low-income households could not during the crisis situation. This city has lost over 350 lakes.

The market is playing an important role in determining the cost and beneficiaries.

Among rural households, only 18% are said to have access to piped water.

Small farmers are worse off and are forced to take their lives or migrate in drought conditions.

Cities in India thrive on the water brought from far away locations at a high cost and with a loss involved in transmission.

They have ignored the maintenance of structures like tanks.

 

Challenges

The expansion of cities fails to consider the access to water and to mandate provisions like harvest rainwater and reuse recycle and treat wastewater.

The real estate boom has promoted the tanker lobby and increased water extraction, along with usurping of the floodplains and the green cover.

 

Encroachment on the “land” retrieved after leveling water bodies, has led to reduced storage and seepage of water, and aggravates flood situations.

The quality of water that is discharged by the cities and the industries remains contaminated, leading to an estimated two lakh deaths in a year.

Most of the farming close to cities is being done using the untreated wastewater, which contains heavy metals and toxic chemicals, further compromising public health.

The present water crisis has encouraged comparisons with the “day zero” situation of Cape Town.

Such projections also create a situation of panic and a push to “solutions” which will worsen the situation.

The interlinking of rivers pushed for despite evidence of poor functioning of existing hydro projects, will only spell disaster and more conflicts.

 

Opportunities

It is required to move towards:

Water-prudent crops and lifestyles,

Augmented storage and regulation of the usage of water and policies that take into account the inequalities in access, and

Real-time data of its consumption.

Also, water bodies in their healthy and natural state has the ability to replenish themselves along with a capacity to contain the intensity of climate crisis.

Keynotes/keywords

The article gives you complete picture about water crisis of India.

Note down data like, among rural households, only 18% are said to have access to piped water.

Assignment

Question for Mains:

The present-day water crisis is a result of misuse and skewed distribution of water. Discuss.

·         Simple question.

·         Highlight the water crisis in the infographic.

·         Then discuss both keywords “misuse” and “skewed distribution”

·         Use the way forward in conclusion.

MCQ

Q. Select the incorrect statement?

a) Intensive irrigation should he avoided in areas susceptible to waterlogging.

b)  Extensive irrigation should be adopted in arid areas

c)  Lift irrigation increases waterlogging.

d) all of the above. Ans-C

Explanation: Lift irrigation is a method of irrigation in which water is not transported by natural flow, (as in gravity-fed canal) but is lifted with pumps or surge pools etc. The advantage of lift irrigation is the minimal land acquisition problem and low water losses. The lift irrigation scheme is instrumental in stabilizing agriculture production particularly in the years of droughts and increase food production as water is available whenever it is required and thereby increase in income level.