SAVE WATER TODAY FOR SURVIVAL OF OUR FUTURE
WHAT WE DO TODAY ECHOES IS ETERNITY
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Water chemical formula H2O, 71% of earth is covered with water and many more information we have about water from our childhood and started believing that water is limitless resource and will never finish, without recognising the fact that the tap water reach to us is passed through many processes to make it useful.
As a responsible human being we all have to teach our young generation from very begining of life the way to use water as a precious resource because plenty of water may available on earth but useful water is limited and it takes efforts,time and economy to make it useful for us.
Normally what we learn in early age becomes our habit and its nearly impossible or tough to change one's habit easily until they face serious consequence of it on personal level.
Hence its our prior duty to spread awareness about importance of water and consequences of water crisis to them who dont know about it.
A Bleak tomorrow
Water scarcity is really become a huge problem for many region of the world. If we draw more than what the Earth can replenish,a shortage is inevitable.
The hardship and suffering experience by the people of South Africa during "ZERO DAY" when they ran out of their water budget, is a stak reminder that nature too has a limit to its patience.
The picture of worshipper celebrating CHHATTH PUJA in the toxic foam filled water of Yamuna is the most recent reminder of the way we treat water.
"There is plenty of water in the Universe without life, but nowhere is there life without water"
INDIA-At the edge of cliff
India is home to 16% of world population, but meagerly blessed with only about 4% of the world water resources.
Our country is the 13th most water stressed country in the world with close to 600 million people facing water stress daily as per the NITI Aayog.
Twenty-one cities are expected to run out of water by 2022, including mega metropolises such as Mumbai, Bengluru & Chennai. Chennai for one already faces an acute crisis in 2020.
India is the 5th most vulnerable country in the world as the climate change entering the picture.
Rajasthan is facing drought of great severity, all the 32 districts affected by drought and 4000 villages declared as drought-affected.
India faces a peculiar scenario when at the same time some parts suffering drought while others rile under floods, because of climate change as well as mismanagement.
Water: Foundation of Life and Existence
It is commonly known that 70% of human body is composed of water.Naturally, this water is acquire from our surroundings, as a part of our diet.
The food we eat come from agriculture sector which is largest consumer of water,consuming 80% of water in India.
The electricity we used come from hydro power plants, & also water is used in large quantities by thermal power plants.
The development we use for survival form by construction activities which consumes large quantity of water.
The products we used in our daily life also consumes water from manufacturers to produce everything from tanned leather to semiconductor.
Clearly, water is not just the biochemical foundation of life, but is central to our way of life and existence.
We with water in Normal Daily life
It is very common in India and anywhere in the world that the people recklessly wastage life giving water who experience no shortage of it, with their normal habit like; through long shower, simply leaving the tab running while brushing or washing the dishes, washing their personal vehicle or house cleaning and by many more way.
On the other hand one who lives in the arid region of Rajasthan or any other water scarce area on the earth face struggle to walk long way to fetch water to meet their needs.
States of peninsular India like; Karnataka,Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhara, Telangana, Tamil Nadu endowed with perennial rivers Cauvery and Dakshin Ganga, Godavari usually at horns over the sharing of water resources of these rivers which acts as lifeline for supply of freshwater in the region.
Despite direction from Supreme Court and Awards by Tribunals their dispute never ends. Example; Karnataka's Mekedatu Dam, Mullaperiyar Dam etc.
It attract the focus on the statement that" the wars of twenty-first century will be fought over Water"
We as a responsible trustee of Planet & its resources
We must always follow seriously the statement,
Helen Caldicott's principium: "We do not inherit this Earth from our ancestors, rather we borrow it from our successor", IUCN,World Conservation Strategy.
We should teach our children as well as elders who actually unaware of the fact of Water crisis and it consequences on our future generation.
The fact that we will not remain where we are and what we do today the repercussion will fall squarely on the shoulders of those who come after us, called "intergeneration parity", an important component of sustainable development defined by Brundtland Commission caste a responsibility on current genration.
Water and ecosystem
Water is a important ecological factor determines the structure and function of ecosystem,Cycling of all other nutrients is also depends on water as it provides their transportation, acts as a solvent.
Water in our planet is stored in major reservoirs like; atmosphere, ocean, rivers, lakes, soil, glacier, snow field and ground water, movers from one reservoirs to another by the processes of evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltrations etc.
Water crisis affects the complete ecosystem.
Water Crisis and its Consequences
Deficiency of water, acute shortage or scarcity of water for possible uses.This can be of two type; Physical (Agricultural, Hydrological, Metrological) and Economical ( affects of crisis like drought, famine, crop falure).
Economic:World Banks projection say that India will loss 6% of its GDP by 2030 and 60% of district in India will critical ground water depletion level over next 20 years.
Agriculture sector of India consuming 80% of water and the 90% of this comes from underground aquifers.
Paddy, a staple crop requires 4000 to 5000 litres of water per kg.
India as second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane and agriculture export policy encouraging water incentives crop, water starved India is ironically one of the greatest exporter of groundwater in the world.
Social; impact will fall disproportionately on poorest living in remote area also on vulnerable section like women and tribal people who still live their life accordance with nature and away from technologies.
Ecological; Environmentally water crisis will lead to loss of biodiversity.
India water crisis: Metrological Factors
In case of India mansoon wind have an erratic pattern and do not cause equivalent rainfall across Indian sub continents, rains concentrated in peninsular region for about four months.
Due to orographic reason inner peninsula, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Tamil Nadu did not recieve heavy rainfall.
Another reason is inability of hard rock to percolate the water underground.
EI Nina phenomenon due to reversal of wind patterns and sea surface temperature in Pacific Ocean causes drought like condition in Australia, Southeast Asia and even in India.
Lastly, Global warming worsen the condition of water crisis.
Efforts taken to Address the critical water situation
On International level;
UNGA taken water as its Sustainable Development Goal 6 and 14 under Agenda 2030.
India positively engaged with countries like Israel to use techniques of grey water recycling.
On National level;
National Action Ganga Plan aims to "nirmalta and aviralta" of Ganga, conserve biodiversity and reduce pollution in the mainstem and its tributaries. . PM heading the National Ganga Council.
Water Harvesting Campaign by Ministry of Jal Shakti- Catch the Rain, aims to revive traditional water harvesting system and rooftop harvesting.
Interlinking of river project like; Ken-Betwa.
On Agricultural level;Increased MSP for Millet and many less water insentive crop.
Schemes;PM Krishi sinchai yojna- Per Drop More Crop. Atal Bhujal Yojna focuses on groundwater conservation.
On Educational level;Samagra Siksha Jal Suraksha Program to spread awareness of water conservation among school students.
On State level;Under Ministry of Jal Shakti many states started water conservation programe, like; Jal hi Jeevan(Haryana), Jal Jeevan Hariyali(Bihar),PM Jal Swavlamban(Rajasthan), Sujalam Sufalam(Gujrat),Jalyukt Simbhar(Maharashtra) and many also in Andhra,Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
What more efforts needed
In my opinion, Afforestation, conservation by changing our habit of wasting water in daily life and rainwater harvesting is the best and easy way to handle water crisis.
On National level India must start a programe to encourage states in water conservation, harvesting and afforestation and put a financial support and other benifits to state performing best in this field.
On International level India try to set an example for whole world in water crisis management with their regional partner Group like; BIMSTEC, SAARC etc.
Conclusion; To face this problem individual, regional, national level approch is required.There is need for holistic and multidimensional responce to present water crisis. It is only by collective efforts that we can prevent the grave impact of water crisis.
The effective implementation of policies and sincere behavioral change will prove crucial.
We must all remind ourselves of the most silent lesson that Gandhiji gave us
" The Earth has enough for everyone's need but not for everyone's greed"
-TAIYABA AHMAD
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