what is the need of hour in relation to conserve water resources?
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Rapid industrialization and urbanization coupled with continuous decline in per capita availability of water is putting a lot of pressure on the available water resources in the country. As per report of standing sub-committee for assessment of availability and requirements of water for diverse uses in the country, the future water requirements for meeting the demands of various sections in the country for the year 2025 and 2050 have been estimated to be 1093 BCM and 1447 BCM respectively. The increasing gap between water availability and demand highlight the need for conservation of water. The National Water Policy also lays stress on conservation of water. It has been stipulated that efficiency of utilization in all the diverse uses of water should be optimized and an awareness of water as a scarce resource should be fostered.
With per capita availability of water depleting at a faster pace, the Government has declared the Year 2013 as Water Conservation Year under which awareness programmes are being launched among masses, especially children, on water conservation.
Water conservation is also the key objective of the National Water Mission which is one of the eight National Missions under the National Action Plan for Climate Change. This envisages conservation, minimising wastage and ensuring equitable distribution of water resources across and within states through integrated water resources development and management.
There is a need for water conservation, not only to restore the fast deteriorating eco-system of the country but also to meet the inevitable emergency of shortage even for drinking and domestic water in near future. The following points are to be pondered upon to plan strategies to meet the crisis:
· Water is a finite resource and cannot be replaced/duplicated.
· Water resources are theoretically ‘renewable’ through hydrological cycle. However, what is renewable is only the quantity, but pollution, contamination, climate change, temporal and seasonal variations have affected the water quality and reduced the amount of ‘usable water’.
· Only 2.7% of the water on earth is fresh.
· The ground water levels are declining very fast.
· Rainfall is unevenly distributed over time and space.
· Increased demand in coastal areas is threatening the fresh water aquifers with seawater intrusion.
· In inland saline areas, the fresh water is becoming saline due to excessive withdrawal of ground water.
· Water conservation practices in urban areas can reduce the demand as much as by one third, in addition to minimizing pollution of surface and ground water resources.
· Watershed programmes tended to concentrate on harvesting rainwater through surface structures.
· There is a need to look at surface and ground water holistically and prepare a conjunctive use plan.
With per capita availability of water depleting at a faster pace, the Government has declared the Year 2013 as Water Conservation Year under which awareness programmes are being launched among masses, especially children, on water conservation.
Water conservation is also the key objective of the National Water Mission which is one of the eight National Missions under the National Action Plan for Climate Change. This envisages conservation, minimising wastage and ensuring equitable distribution of water resources across and within states through integrated water resources development and management.
There is a need for water conservation, not only to restore the fast deteriorating eco-system of the country but also to meet the inevitable emergency of shortage even for drinking and domestic water in near future. The following points are to be pondered upon to plan strategies to meet the crisis:
· Water is a finite resource and cannot be replaced/duplicated.
· Water resources are theoretically ‘renewable’ through hydrological cycle. However, what is renewable is only the quantity, but pollution, contamination, climate change, temporal and seasonal variations have affected the water quality and reduced the amount of ‘usable water’.
· Only 2.7% of the water on earth is fresh.
· The ground water levels are declining very fast.
· Rainfall is unevenly distributed over time and space.
· Increased demand in coastal areas is threatening the fresh water aquifers with seawater intrusion.
· In inland saline areas, the fresh water is becoming saline due to excessive withdrawal of ground water.
· Water conservation practices in urban areas can reduce the demand as much as by one third, in addition to minimizing pollution of surface and ground water resources.
· Watershed programmes tended to concentrate on harvesting rainwater through surface structures.
· There is a need to look at surface and ground water holistically and prepare a conjunctive use plan.
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