Drying Up: Fixing Urban India’s Water Problem
Kartavya Desk Staff
Syllabus: Environment Conservation/ Geography: Conservation of Resources
Source: IE
Context: Urban India faces recurring water crises due to fast-depleting aquifers. Despite efforts by the government to provide tap water, aquifer health remains neglected.
India’s Status:
India is endowed with rich water resources:
• India has 4% of the world’s water resources
• India has 1123 billion cubic metres of surface and groundwater resources.
• Rainfall: According to the Central Water Commission, India receives 4,000 billion cubic metres in rainfall, which is higher than its requirement.
• However, in 2023, around 91 million Indians will not have access to safe water. This data indicates the massive water shortage in India.
Structure of Water Management in India:
Level | Organization | Responsibilities
Central Level | Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) | Formulates national water policies and oversees water resource management activities across the country. Established in May 2019.
Central Water Commission (CWC) | Provides technical guidance on water resource development projects and river basin planning.
Central Groundwater Board (CGWB) | Assesses, monitors, and manages groundwater resources in India.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) | Promotes the cleanliness of streams and wells across states by preventing, controlling, and reducing water pollution, as defined in the Water Act of 1974.
State Level | State Water Resources Departments | Implement water policies and manage water resources within their respective states.
Irrigation Departments | Manage irrigation systems and ensure water distribution for agricultural purposes.
State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) | Monitor and control water pollution within the state.
Local Level | Panchayats (Village Councils) | Manage water resources at the village level, promote water conservation, and ensure equitable distribution.
Municipalities | Manage water supply and sanitation in urban areas.
Water User Associations (WUAs) | Groups of farmers formed to manage and maintain irrigation systems at the local level.
Despite being endowed with water resources, India faces a water crisis due to the following reasons:
• Uneven Rainfall: Uneven distribution of rainfall with around 70% of India’s rainfall being confined to 3-4 months. And there is regional variability with some regions having very high rainfall while others suffer from scarcity.
• River basins: Uneven flow of water in different river basins. For instance, the surplus in the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin but the deficit in seasonal rivers in Indian peninsular regions.
• Inadequate rainfall: According to data released by the India Meteorological Department, the South-West monsoon during June- August 2023 has been below normal in 42 per cent of the districts.
• Groundwater overuse: According to the Stockholm International Water Institute, with farmers providing electricity subsidies to help power the groundwater pumping, the water table has seen a drop of up to 4 meters in some parts of the country.
• Water pollution: The Central Pollution Control Board reported that of the 603 rivers assessed, there are 311 Polluted stretches in 279 rivers in 30 States & Union Territories.
• Climate change: Changing rainfall patterns and, an increase in the frequency of droughts have affected water availability in various regions. Eg: El Nino episodes are becoming more frequent
• Agriculture policies and practices: Fertilizer subsidies, free electricity, price support for water-intensive crops and practices like flood irrigation.
- •Source: India Today*
Major Consequences of the Water Crisis:
• Hindering Human Capital Development: Girls miss school due to water collection duties.; Waterborne illnesses and malnutrition cause cognitive impairments in children.
• Long-Term Economic Risks: Water scarcity could cost India up to 6% of its GDP by 2050.
• Rise of Water Mafias: Informal water markets with high prices, worsening social and economic inequalities.
• Impact on Transboundary Water Disputes: Increases tensions and potential conflicts with neighbouring countries over shared river basins.
• Threat to Biodiversity: Depleting water levels and pollution endanger freshwater species, including the Ganges River Dolphin.
Key Government Schemes To Tackle The Groundwater Crisis in India:
• MGNREGA: Supports water conservation through rural employment.
• Jal Kranti Abhiyan: Raises awareness on water conservation.
• National Water Mission: Promotes sustainable water management.
• Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY): Improves groundwater management.
• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM): Aims to provide tap water to rural households.
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): Addresses Ganga basin groundwater issues.
• Programs like the Sahi Fasal Campaign
Steps to Address the Water Crisis in India:
• Inclusive Water Governance: Inclusive representation in local water management committees and decision-making bodies to ensure that the voices of all castes are heard.
• Interlinking of Rivers: Connect surplus rivers to deficient regions.
• Adopt One Water Approach: Manage water sources sustainably and inclusively.
• Transforming Fallow Land: Convert underutilized land into water recharge parks with bioswales, wetlands, and rainwater harvesting structures.
• Desalination Plants: Use renewable energy and waste-to-energy for desalination plants, creating clean water and utilizing waste.
• Urban Rainwater Harvesting: Mandate rainwater systems in new buildings and retrofit existing ones; install green roofs.
• Promote Drip Irrigation: Encourage drip irrigation and aquaponics to reduce water use in agriculture.
• Smart Water Grids: Implement sensors and real-time monitoring for efficient water distribution.
• Fog Harvesting: Use mesh structures to capture moisture from fog in hilly areas.
• Decentralized Management: Adopt community-driven water supply and sanitation projects, and decentralized wastewater treatment.
• Zero Liquid Discharge: Mandate ZLD systems in industries to recycle wastewater and reduce freshwater use.
To learn about Traditional Methods of water conservation in India: Click Here
Conclusion:
India, despite its water surplus, grapples with a water crisis, highlighting the need for improved water resource management. The key lies in credible data collection to understand water demand across various sectors like agriculture, domestic, and industrial use. Prioritizing water distribution among these sectors is crucial. Embracing the principles of reduce-recycle-reuse and promoting water conservation methods are vital steps. Furthermore, there’s a need for the convergence of laws, schemes, and agencies to ensure optimal utilization of water resources.
Insta Links:
• Regenerative agriculture: A step towards water conservation
Mains Links:
How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in solving India’s water crisis? (UPSC 2021)
What is water stress? How and why does it differ regionally in India? (UPSC 2019)
What are the salient features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched by the Government of India for water conservation and water security? (UPSC 2020)
Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation systems to make their judicious use under the depleting scenario. (UPSC 2020)
Prelims Links:
What are the benefits of implementing the ‘Integrated Watershed Development Programme’? (UPSC 2014)
• Prevention of soil runoff
• Linking the country’s perennial rivers with seasonal rivers
• Rainwater harvesting and recharge of groundwater table
• Regeneration of natural vegetation
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only (c) 1, 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: C
With reference to ‘Water Credit’, consider the following statements: (UPSC 2021)
• It puts microfinance tools to work in the water and sanitation sector.
• It is a global initiative launched under the aegis of the World Health Organization and the World Bank.
• It aims to enable the poor people to meet their water needs without depending on subsidies.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: C
Key Phrases: , Fixing Urban India’s Water Problem