PEOPLE AND THEIR PROBLEMS

New Delhi, 21 April, 2007

Alert Decades In Advance

WATER CRISIS TO HIT DEVELOPMENT

By Radhakrishna Rao

An assessment by John R.Wood, Prof Emeritus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver points out that in another four decades India’s population growth will lead to a serious water crisis…” Even if every available river and stream is harnessed to full potential, by 2045 the Indian population will exceed the availability of water needed to support it. I am sure there will be technological feats. But this is not just a technological problem, not just an economic problem, not even a social problem. It is a political problem. And until political skills are developed or recognized to deal with this problem, there will be more and more conflicts” said Wood. Of course, he was referring to the river water disputes between the various Indian States and conflicts in the community over the limited availability of water.

Meanwhile, a report from the WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) brackets the Ganga and Indus with eight other rivers from across the world, which are threatened with over extraction, climate change, pollution and dam construction. “Poor planning and inadequate protection of natural areas mean that we can no longer assume that water will flow forever” said the WWF report entitled “World’s Ten Rivers at Risk”. In particular, the study stated that Ganga is facing a serious threat owing to the increased withdrawal of its rapidly dwindling water.

“ ..In India, the barrages control all the tributaries to the Ganga and divert roughly 60% of the flow to large-scale irrigation. Over extraction for agriculture in the Ganga has caused reduction in the surface water resources, increased dependence on ground water, loss of water-based livelihood  and destruction of habitate of 109 fish varieties and other aquatic and amphibian fauna. Significantly, the much-talked of Gang Action Plan which saw the investment of a whopping Rs.20,000 by the Central Pollution Control Board has not helped in minimizing the pollution  in the river and restoring its water level.

Interestingly, the WWF report also states that “fresh water crisis is bigger than the 10 rivers listed in the report but it mirrors the extent to which unabated development is jeopardizing nature’s ability to meet our growing demands. We must change our mindset or pay the price in the not so distant a future”.

In fact, fetching water after trudging a long distance is a back-breaking and arduous routine for a large segment of the Indian population. Even in the villages of Garhwal region of Uttarakhand which lie in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, women and children walk an average six km a day to get water. Indeed, for the women and children of Garhwal from where a large majority of men-folk have migrated to the plains of North India in search of livelihood, water fetching has become a daunting task. In addition to exerting a negative impact on the health of women and children, this trend also implies diversion and time and energy that would have gone into productive activities for water collection.

In addition, the contaminated and polluted water is a major source of disease and death in India and other parts of the third world. Significantly, only 15 per cent of India’s rural people have access to toilets and sanitary facilities .For lack of sanitary facilities is a major contributor to the contamination of water in many parts of India. Water Aid, a well-known international NGO (Non Government Organisation) in association with local partners has helped develop sanitary infrastructure in slum settlements spread across the country.

Water resources experts state that the mushrooming of bore wells have exerted negative impact on the water table in many regions of the country. Indeed, studies carried out by various agencies go to show that in the past 35 years, the water table has come down by as much as 30-60 metres in several parts of India .In particular, the green revolution state of Punjab has witnessed the decline in water table by around 30 metres on account of the sinking of more than a million tube- wells.  At this rate, the Washington-based think tank World Watch Institute warns that underground aquifers in India could go dry by 2025.

On the other hand, in the coastal state of Gujarat, sea water incursion and increase in salinity level in several areas of the State have made water unfit for human consumption. Studies by  (International Water Management Institute) (IWMI) points out that a large part of western and peninsular India is all set to face serious water crisis in the coming 25 years.

Against this backdrop, water resources experts have stressed on the scientific and sustainable use of water, a renewable but not inexhaustible natural resource, to ward off a threat of water crisis .They say that society and individuals should ensure that water is used in a thoughtful manner and water sources are insulated against pollution and contamination. Moreover, to help increase the food output required to feed a fast growing population, water conservation assumes vital importance for the very survival of humanity.

India, being an essentially agrarian country, depends to a large extent on water for food production and economic development. Clearly and apparently India’s rural populace consumes water mainly for two purposes: domestic use and farming .As environmentalists point out, these two aspects have a direct bearing on the conservation of  water  and  considering it as a finite resources it should be conserved for future.

While some areas in the country are blessed with  abundant water , certain regions  are deficient in this vital natural resource .The variation in spade and time in the availability of water in the different regions of the country has created what is called as food drought flood syndrome with some area facing acute  water shortage and others suffering  flood damages .For long water resources experts have been highlighting the need for public private partnership for conservation of water resources with a focus on rivers  and lakes.

Meanwhile, there is a perception that India does not need to be a water-stressed country. For by harvesting flood water and wasted rain water, India could easily tide over its water crisis. In this context, B.S.Bhavanishankar, a noted water resources expert advocates a total shift from surface irrigation to the one based on ground water for northern plains of the country. For his view is that the entire Gangetic plain is one of the largest aquifer plains in the world and as such with plenty of fresh water available ,the idea of building dams and large canals could be done away with.

However, right at the moment, for millions of poor in the urban areas of India, collecting water from public taps and tankers has become a part of the   routine grinding realilty. For in most cities and towns, the urban water supply is limited to a few hours a day with those settled in slums and shanty towns being left out of the scope of this public water supply scheme. With the population growing at a fast pace, the water crisis is bound to become a serious national problem. –INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)