ESSAY ON GROUNDWATER IS THE LIFELINE OF THE NATION IN 15OO WORDS
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This has been followed with a discussion on issues of quality and quantity. The importance of groundwater in India’s water sector is highlighted. The presentation discusses how an increase in overall irrigated area, in spite of decrease in contribution from big dam irrigation projects was possible due to the steep increase in groundwater irrigated areas.
The presentation provides the following agenda for action on three broad fronts –
Protection of existing groundwater recharge systems: local water bodies (lakes, tanks, johads, ahars, pynes, kuhls, guhls, tankas, bawdies), wetlands, forests, rivers flowing with clean waterCreation of more recharge systemsRegulation of groundwater useCommunity driven regulation is the only optionSiting policies for water use activitiesWater footprint calculations and policies and incentives to reduce water footprint
The steps taken by the government and the various options available with it have been discussed –
Government has declared a monopoly for itself in water sector in general: No role for the people, no democracy in water sector;Government cannot exercise monopoly over groundwater due to the nature of decentralised resource that can be used by anyone who owns a piece of land. There are over 17 million groundwater extraction units in India today, growing steeply even now;However, government action and inaction in water sector has huge impacts on groundwater recharge and use;Government has been providing huge incentives for groundwater use in various forms: loans for wells, motors, electricity subsidies, incentivizing cropping patterns, industrial activities and residential uses;There are some success stories in India where people and ecosystems are given priority over everything else. Here the improved decision making through multi-stakeholder planning processes on water services have delivered sustainable solutions rather than tradeoffs;It is possible to cater to the justifiable demands of the people over large areas spanning over several districts, through hundreds of small projects;These projects have much more equitable, sustainable benefits and there could be unexpected spin off benefits, as against unexpected, spin off losses in large projects;These projects can also help in evolution of institutional mechanism for decision making and management;These provide real options for people to earn decent livelihood in sustainable way, without brutalizing them first, without involving toxic, dehumanizing corporate dreams;Organic farming, with support for carbon build up in soil would help in water conservation, soil conservation and also reduce global warming in the process, but there is no support for it;The large stock of created infrastructure and the poor performance of the same also provides an option to achieve better benefits;Techniques like the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) also offer great potential;An important exception though: In all such success stories, demand is not sacrosanct by itself, unlike it is in the market. This is also indicated by the global warming issues. Only justifiable demand can have a place in a just world.
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GROUNDWATER IS THE LIFELINE OF THE NATION
Water is life! If there were no water, there would be no life! Every life form, be it animal, plant, microscopic, or any other type, can’t live without water. Water keeps the metabolic process running. Cells live because of water; our organs and body systems work because of water; our families, society, nations, and the world all would come to standstill if water were not there.
However, our indifference and apathy to the indispensability of water has never ever let us realize as to what will happen if the earth stopped supplying this life-nectar to us! This wonder life-sustaining liquid is almost omnipresent in the form of oceans, vapour, precipitation, snow, ice, lakes, rivers, ponds, and aquifers underground. The mankind uses the underground water the most.
Imagine on a morning you are given the horrible news that all the water underground has run out. The tube-wells that had been pumping out water abundantly for years, have all of a sudden have gone dry! What will happen to your ablutions, bathing, cooking, washing, clothes, tea, coffee, milk, etc.? Do you think any of the aforementioned luxuries can be enjoyed without water? No, simply not! This is just at the micro level. Let’s see what will happen at the macro level!
According to The USGS Water Science School Groundwater is one of the Nation's most important natural resources. Groundwater is the major source of water supply to households and businesses. It provides drinking water for more than 90 percent of the rural population who do not get their water delivered to them from a city water department or private water company. A major percentage of the water used for irrigation comes from groundwater. Withdrawals of groundwater are expected to rise as the population increases and available sites for surface reservoirs become more limited.
According to a World Bank report Groundwater in India is a critical resource. However, an increasing number of aquifers are reaching unsustainable levels of exploitation. If current trends continue, in 20 years about 60% of all India’s aquifers will be in a critical condition. The report further states India is the largest user of groundwater in the world. It uses an estimated 230 cubic kilometers of groundwater per year - over a quarter of the global total. More than 60% of irrigated agriculture and 85% of drinking water supplies are dependent on groundwater. Urban residents increasingly rely on groundwater due to unreliable and inadequate municipal water supplies.
Water is the force behind all the industry, agriculture, manufacturing and trade and commerce. No production of anything is possible without water. There would be no crops, fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses if water would not give life and form to them! Similarly, dairy industry also flourishes on water.
Now let’s come to the energy production sector. All forms of energy generation is done using water. Be it hydroelectrically projects, or thermal power plant, or nuclear power plant, water is the key ingredient in all of them. There would be no power without water!
The gist of all the points mentioned above is WATER IS INDESPENSIBLE for life. No water, no life!
In spite of the indispensability of water in our life, our attitude to water is pathetic. We have been abusing its divinity! We have made it scarce. We must stop polluting and misusing it. The best we can do is optimal utilization of this wonder resource. We can save it from disappearing with modifications in our attitude. The first and foremost thing to be done is realize that we the humans cannot create water. We can only use it from nature.
The second thing we have to do is become frugal in using it. We must install highly efficient water management systems which dispense water smartly and intelligently. For example, computerized drip irrigation system for agriculture and smart taps for household consumption. We also must develop the expertise to convert the saline water of oceans and seas into potable water. Israel is an inspiration for the rest of the world. Countries like India can learn the water management technical know-how from Israel. We must never ever forget that without it neither we will survive nor any plant or animal! Let’s be wise; let’s use this life-giving nectar sagaciously!