Indianizing the global measure for water conservation
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Essay on:
1. Indianising The Global Measures For Water Conservation
2. Save Water Save Life
Water is the most precious natural resource as it is essential for human survival and life on earth. It is also the most misunderstood and the most abused resource. The availability of freshwater for human consumption is highly under stress because of a variety of factors. This crisis of water scarcity is most visible in India as well as in other developing countries. Water was categorised in 2019 by the World Economic Forum as one of the largest global risks with respect to its potential impact over the next decade. One-third of the global population or 2 billion people live under situations of severe water scarcity at least one month of the year.
Half a billion people in the world affected by severe water scarcity all year round. Half of the world’s largest cities have been facing water scarcity. Water scarcity can be defined as the lack of freshwater resources to satisfy water demand. India receives 4000 billion cubic metres (bcm) rainfall each year. A major portion is lost through evaporation and through rivers that flow into the saline undrinkable water seas and oceans. Currently, the annual availability of water is 1123 bcm in India and the demand is around 750 bcm. By 2050 the annual demand for water will be 1180 bcm which exceeds the minimum necessity and therefore alarming. Due to severe water scarcity around 2 lakh people die every year as they have no access to potable water. 70% of India’s water is contaminated. In many regions the underground water level is going down and contaminated by harmful chemicals. Water crisis is most visible in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Chennai. Punjab and Andhra Pradesh prone to droughts.
Population growth, industrialization, rapid urbanisation, rising needs of irrigation and increase in domestic water usage have accelerated the demand for water. Water required for cities is largely drawn from neighbouring villages and far-off rivers and lakes. Pollution of rivers and lakes will create extreme water scarcity in the cities. Inefficient cultivation practices have led to depletion of underground water.
Release of industrial and domestic waste, including urban sewage, into rivers, lakes, and estuaries has polluted freshwater sources at an alarming rate in India. Water shortage will directly effects the capacity to generate electricity and result in power crisis. This in turn will adversely affect our industries, economy and drinking water scarcity.
Cases of conflicts over water like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over Cauvery waters or Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh over Narmada waters, will drastically increase.
India needs efficient water management. India is not a water deficit country, but due to severe neglect and lack of monitoring of water resource development projects, many regions in the country face water scarcity from time to time. The need of the hour water is to explore ways to meet the demand with available supply for future economic growth and development as well as for the sustenance of human life.
On the earth’s surface, there is 71% of the land is covered by the water and other 29% by the land. In that 71% of water, only 3% of water is usable for human consumption. Survival without water is impossible, so water conservation and the prevention of water wastage is vital for life on Earth. Water conservation is the practice of using water efficiently to reduce unnecessary water usage because fresh clean water is a limited resource. It includes recycling used water so that it can be used again. Water conservation refers all the policies, strategies and activities to sustainably manage the natural resource of fresh water, to meet the present and future human demand. We can do simple things in our life in order to reduce scarcity of water. For examples: Rain water harvesting, prevention of dripping of water from taps, quick repair leakage from water pipes, turning off taps when not in use while brushing teeth, water for washing vegetable, fruits, and dishes can be reused for watering garden plants and flowers. We must prevent pollution of water sources and wastage of water. To do this is our duty not a mere obligation.