Dr. Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit:
William Ashworth said, “Children of a culture born in a water-rich environment, we have never really learned how important water is to us. We understand it, but we do not respect it.” India is one of the many countries facing water scarcity today. Water covers two-thirds of the surface of the Earth, but fresh water constitutes only about 0.002% of it.
There is no life without water. Water is not only important for human beings but for the entire ecosystem. Heat waves recur year after year during summer, and this year they are more intense. We should be prepared. Water sources should be created. Unmindful of the adverse impact on ecology, we have been destroying forests, drying up lakes by filling them with mud and constructing buildings, and encouraging unplanned urbanization, among other things. Greed knows no bounds. Small trees are cut ruthlessly. On the other hand, we do not adopt the simplest methods to reduce the impact of excessive solar heat, such as maintaining solar-passive premises with white roofs and planting trees, drip-irrigated by self-harvested water.
Water is central to our lives but has not been the focal point in our planning as we rapidly evolve into an urban society. It is critical for sustainable development, including environmental integrity and the alleviation of poverty and hunger, and is indispensable for human health and well-being.
Water scarcity is mostly man-made, resulting from excessive population growth and mismanagement of water resources. It can be defined as a situation in which people do not have enough water to fulfill their basic needs. The depletion of fresh water has become a threat to our existence. According to some scientists, both the quantity and quality of water are deteriorating day by day. Although the Earth is covered with nearly 71% water, most of it is not usable for daily domestic purposes.
There is an acute water shortage in almost all cities due to changes in people’s lifestyles. Many of our lakes have dried up. Groundwater levels are abysmally low and often contaminated. There is not enough water for the cities’ burgeoning populations.
One must remember that India’s economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. Rainwater harvesting can be used effectively to strengthen irrigation networks. There are many ways to save and recycle water. Fix all leaking taps in your house—70 to 150 litres of water can be wasted due to dripping taps. As long as water flows from our taps, we remain satisfied and fail to understand its value. Stored water can be purified and reused for purposes like washing, cleaning, and even cooking where appropriate.
The government needs to enhance its investment in technology and include all stakeholders at the planning level to ensure optimal use of existing resources. Increasing population and rapid urbanization have led to the overuse of water resources, resulting in pollution and scarcity. Rain, rivers, and wells have traditionally been sources of fresh water. Global warming disrupts natural rainfall patterns. Rivers are gradually being destroyed at their sources due to deforestation, the construction of large dams, and excessive groundwater extraction.
Development cannot be reversed, but technology can be reoriented to serve the dual purpose of conserving water and regulating its use. We must pay attention to the importance of fresh water and ensure proper management of water resources. Should we not, instead of relying only on global solutions, take action at national and regional levels? It is rightly said, “A drop of water is worth more than a sack of gold to a thirsty man.”
