According to India meteorological department, In the last 122 years since 1901, India received the lowest rainfall in august this year.In August the rainfall in the country was 32% below the normal and in southern states it was below 62%.
News jungal desk:According to Falkenmark Water Index, wherever the amount of water available per capita is below 1700 cubic meters in a year, there is water scarcity.
Almost 76% of Indian people are already living with water scarcity.
The net amount of water that can be used in india in a year is estimated at 1121 bcm (billion cubic meters).
According to Ministry of Water Resources the total water demand will be 1093 bcm in 2025 and 1447 bcm in 2050.
Primary Reasons behind Water Scarcity:
Uneven Distribution of Rainfall: India experiences uneven distribution of rainfall, with the majority of precipitation occuring during the Monsoon season (june to september).
States such as Kerala and Meghalaya receive excessive rainfall,
While Arid reagions such as Rajasthan and Gujrat face chronic water scarcity.
Over Extraction of Groundwater: Excessive groundwater extraction for irrigation, industrial and domestic purposes has led to the depletion of aquifers.
According to Central Ground Water Board Report, India was overexploiting its groundwater resourses at an alarming rate in states such as Punjab, Haryana and Tamilnadu.
Report shows that Punjab’s groundwater in the first 100 meters will be exhausted by 2029.
Inefficient Use of Water for Agriculture: Agriculture is the largest consumer of water in India, accounting for, about 85% of total water use.Most of the irrigation methods are outdated and wasteful, resulting in low water productivity and high water losses.
Mpreover, some crops such as cotton, paddy and sugarcane are water intensive and are grown in regions with declining water tables.
The government policies provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) and electricity subsidies for these crops which encourage farmers to overuse water.
Climate Change: Changing weather patterns and increasing temperatures associated with climate change have profound impact on water resources.
Erratic Monsoons, prolonged droughts and altered precipitations have disrupted availability of water in various regions.
El Nino, which occurs due to global warming, often reduces the rainfall in India, is becoming the new normal in recent years.
Population Growth: India has the largest population in the world about 1.4 billion people.The population is expected to grow 1.7 billion by 2050.This puts a huge demand on limited water resources available in country.
Effects of Water Scarcity:
Health Issues: Lack of access to safe drinking water can cause various health problems such as dehydration, infections and even death.
According to World Bank Report, India has 18% world’s population but has enough water resources for only 4% of its people.
In 2023, 91 million Indians will not have access to safe water.
Ecosystem damage: Water scarcity also poses a threat to wildlife and natural habitats in India.Many wild animals have to venture into human settlements in search of water, which can lead to Man and Animal conflicts and endangerment.
Reduced Agricultural Productivity:It can reduce crop yields, affect food security and can increase poverty among farmers.
Economic Losses:It can affect industrial production, reduce energy generation and can increase the cost of water supply and water treatment.
Government Measures:
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
Atal Bhujal Yojana
Jal Shakti Abhiyan- Catch the Rain Campaign
Per Drop More Crop
How to Address the Water Scarcity:
Reduce Overconsumption: One of the main drivers of the Wtaer Scarcity is the excessive and inefficient use of water by various sectors, such as agriculture, industry and households.
By using modern technologies, such as IoT(Internet of Things), AI, Remote sensing and Satellite Monitoring, water consumption can be measured and managed more effectively.This can help farmers plan irrigation procedures based on weather conditions and local topography.This can save water and increase water productivity.
Prashant Maroo, a chhattisgarh farmer used IoT used in his farms, resulting in 20% yield in crop yield and reduced water consumption.
Expand Water Sources:Explore alternative sources of water such as, rain water harvesting, desalination water reuse.These methods can increase the availability and accessibility of water for different purposes.Desalination can convert sea water into fresh water for drinking and irrigation in coastal areas.
Protect water resources:Protect and restore the natural resources that provide water, such as river, lakes,wetlands, forests and soils.These ecosystem plays a vital role in maintaining the water cycle,filtering pollutants,preventing erosions and mitigating floods and droughts.They can improve water quality and quantity by storing run off water and recharging groundwater.
Change Water Policies: Introduce minimum support prices for less water intensive crops also reform its electricity subsidy policies.
Use Different Irrigation Techniques: Drip and Sprinkler irrigation can save around 50% water in crop cultivation and increase the crop yield by 40-60%.
use Buried Clay Pot Plantation technique, this is an ancient method of irrigation,it uses porous clay pots to water plants.
It is very effective in saline soil and desert conditions.
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