Water crisis in Bengaluru has been making international headlines for the past few months. This is India’s Silicon Valley which was once called the city of lakes. There are more than 800 lakes in this city but today. The entire state of Karnataka are facing water scarcity. This problem is so serious that people that people are leaving Bengaluru. Groundwater which was available at 100 feet level earlier, is not available now even after digging 1800 feet, This story is not only going to happen in Bengaluru but in the whole country where drinking water is a problem. Bengaluru water crisis is a warning for India that if we don’t tackle crisis, then our country’s future will be danger.

India’s water future

We do have water today but having water tomorrow is not a guarantee that we will have water in future. India represents 16% of world Population but has less than 4% of total water. This means that we have to conserve every drop of water. Those people should treat water like elixir.

In 2018, NITI Aayog published the Composite Water Management Index, in which they created a water index on India’s water resources, their availability and water scarcity, on the first page of that report; it is written that 60 cores people live in extreme water stressed areas. Every year, 2 lakh people lose their lives because they do not get the clear and safe drinking water and the problem is that as India will keep growing, our water needs will also increase. More number of apartments will be built, people will consume more water and India has no concrete plan for all this

 

 

on a groundwater level

India 62% water needs come from groundwater and there is also an issue of water stress. India still runs on majorly Thermal Power. And thermal power plants are heavy water consumers, due to this water shortage, our electricity will also be impacted. We will be able to produce less electricity than our capacity. The report of the United Nations International Groundwater Resources Assessment Center (UN-IGRAC) shows that groundwater is the main source of drinking water for about half of the total population. Ghaziabad in UP has been declared a red zone after the groundwater level reached worrying levels. According to the government data India’s main reservoirs have hit their lowest level in 5 years. Indication of a possible squeeze on water and power availability in summer. Even one bad rainfall had a big impact and we saw that last year as well this coupled with an over explanation of groundwater resources put several cities in India in a precious position. Here are six big cities that could face a severe water shortage soon that is Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Mumbai and guru gram. According to NITI Aayog India’s Metro cities will run out of groundwater in the next 10 years. 40% of the population will have no access to drinking water by 2030.The problem of land sinking may increase due to depletion of groundwater. 

On a river level

Rivers have been the lifeline of this Nation and of every Nation in a way. We are a culture or Civilization which have grown out of a river back. In NITI Aayog’s ‘composite management’ report said that the state from which the Ganga river flows, those states have done the least water management and preparation. This water scarcity has a multi-level impact people get polluted water which causes health problems; the water shortage has a deep connection with food security.

All rivers in India are at the dangerous level depletion that means in another 15 to 20 years’ time most of our rivers will be seasonal they will not be barren young. Since the year 2000 there has been an increase in draught on earth by 29 to 30%. If we don’t wake up early and talk take action then by the year 2050, 80% of the world population would be affected by drought. Our earth is our future and the existence of the whole mankind depends on our environment.

 

 

Solution to the water crisis

The water crisis and the situation in Bengaluru is a warning sign for India. This is still time, if we take the right step now then we will be able to save our country. There are many ways to deal with water scarcity and water crisis. But it is also important to implement them because as India is industrializing and urbanizing, we will also have to think about the needs of water.

The first step is we need to understand that India does not have unlimited and infinite water. rivers like Ganga, Yamuna and Brahmaputra are Glacier fed. As the glaciers melt, the water level will increase but in the future, these levels will decrease when there will be no Glacier. We can solve this problem in two ways.

At an individual and Society level we can take these steps

First if we can use water multiple times then our water demands can be reduced. We need to use water converters which fit in taps, reducing the water flow. This converts water into high stream jets which reduce water consumption. At a society level, every society should arrange for rainwater harvesting. Plantation can be an effective way to increase the groundwater table. The roots of tree increase the water retention capacity of the soil. These rainwater harvesting Pits will capture the rain in the monsoon and will recharge the bore wells of your building. And these rainwater harvesting structures have another big benefit, they stop flooding because the water goes directly into the ground. Rainwater harvesting is beneficial both during drought and floods.

 

 

At a policy and government level

We should not try to hide the fact that there is a water shortage. At the policy level, Urban Development is the best way for political parties and real state Mafia to make money. Water bodies and wet lands are sold at a lower rate. There is no grey water recycling policy in India. reusing grey water collecting it, treating and recycling it, national policies should be made on those, every state should have its own policies because by doing this water will be reused and demand will decrease. Seeing the extent and pace of groundwater depletion, the MOEFCC has constituted an expert committee to recommend urgent measures and also to recommend that the groundwater use in agriculture should be regulated and also suggested that the sewage water can be used in agriculture. Earlier, Tamilnadu had already enacted Tamilnadu groundwater (Development and Management) Act, 2003 for regulation and development of groundwater but the Act could not be implemented properly. Whenever a small city is being developed lakes must be created. It is important to conserve wetlands and make Park out of them. Mangrove conservation is mandatory.

Notes

What is land sinking?

The sinking of land is called a sinkhole which is caused by groundwater extraction. Where there is a severe shortage of water. So much so that even for drinking, groundwater has to be extracted which requires pipes, if a pipe breaks, the flowing water pulls the entire ground down. The entire village, roads, trees, everything sinks. For example, in south west Delhi an 100sq km area sinks by 11cm every year. The same thing happened in Jhoshimath, Uttarakhand and also happened in Rajasthan.