It’s not
a TRP enhancing news anymore for national media that even Delhi, Chennai
or Mumbai is facing water shortage during the months of February till the
down pour of monsoon rain in June every year. Yes, people in many parts &
ever enlarging parts of India do pray to Rain God to dispatch monsoon a bit
soon this time. Before discussing the issue further, it would be fair enough to
go through some frightening facts:
· Only
0.08% of earth water is drinkable, which too is getting contaminated with each
passing day.
· Every
year about 5 million people die due to consumption of undrinkable water all
over the world.
· Only
5.58 lac Sq.km of area is irrigated out of total land area of 29.3 sq.km.
in India.
· 17%
of world population reside in India with 4% of water sources of the world.
· Indian
Agriculture uses 69% of water, Industries 23% and rest 8% by Indian households
& others.
· 21%
of communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water.
· The
annual turnover of MNCs selling bottled water in India is Rs.28,000 crore which
would touch Rs.5.6 million crore by 2025.
· Only
15% of rain water, if harvested & conserved, would be sufficient to take
care of India’s annual water requirements.
· Out
of 6.38 lac revenue villages in India, more than 30% are water problem
villages.
· 73%
of respondents of a question as to what truly make them proud of being an
Indian said, “It is availability of safe drinking water to every Indian.”
We
all know, Water is Life. जल नहीं तो कल नहीं . Man can’t survive more than 3 days without
water. But many of us use water thoughtlessly. Fresh portable water is already
a precious commodity in many drier parts of India. Nevertheless, the true value
of H2O is yet to be fully understood even by the educated
segments of society. That’s why Vandana Shiva, the environmental activist
says,” I think the most pressing issue is really to bring back the culture for
respecting water, for recognising its value.”
This is a serious issue we all should concentrate on. It is rightly said by Toni Morrison that : "All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.", to its pure form.
ReplyDeleteThanks for going through the post & sharing your views. Water management is the key to all human development. All the Best.
ReplyDeleteMaking saline water potable economically through affordable solar energy,banning water-bodies&river pollution,adopting sprinkler irrigation,artificially recharging under-ground overexploited reservoir & subsidising rain-harvesting are some remedial measures. RPSinha Deoghar
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for sharing you views & providing so many insights.All the Best.
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