Water Scarcity and Security in India

Water is essential element for the survival of all forms of life on the earth. History tells that all civilizations originated and flourished around the sources of water. It is still the same in modern cities and countryside. Through technological advancement made in civil engineering and water resource management, we are now with better ways and means of conserving and distribution of water resource. However, it is fact that while science is giving us more advance more ways of managing the water resource, it is also opening up new avenues for water consumption. This increasing demand for water for one reason or the other is pushing all of us crisis. Many thinkers hold the view that water could be main reason for the next world war. Conflicts over sharing of river water are going on both within and between countries. The revised draft national water policies of India, 2012 also underline the fact that “availability of utilizable water become conflicts among different user groups” (Sachinder Singh, 2012). The importance of water has scaled such a height that some scholars have started terming it as “oil of 21st century” (Shiva, 2005). Similarly, another author wrote that the well toward which humanity is evidently rushing is a shortage not of minerals and energy, but food and water. Water is will be more central to resources for future world development. In context of India, it is not a water poor country, due to growing human population, severe neglect and over-exploitation of this resource, water is becoming a scarce commodity. India is more vulnerable because of the growing population and in-disciplined lifestyle. This calls for immediate attention by the stakeholders to make sustainable use of the available water resources.

At 2518 billion m3, the total water resource base for India, including surface and groundwater, is substantial but highly variable as during the monsoon season 50 per cent of annual precipitation falls in less than one month and 90 percent river flows occur in only 4 months of the year. The ability of the current infrastructure to safeguard that variability is low, making it difficult for accessible, reliable supply to meet projected demand and thus putting water security of India at stake. With only 200 m3 of water storage capacity per person, compared to 2200 m3 water amount to 744 billion m3, or 29 per percent of its total water resource. According to the report “Charting our Water Future” by the 2030 International Water Resource Group released in 2009 in India the low agricultural water productivity and efficiency, combined with aging supply infrastructure, would make server supply- demand gaps likely in many basin with currently planned crop choice. India „s aggregate water demand is expected to double from current level of about 700 billion cubic meters to 1498 billion cubic meters by 2030. With an estimated supply of about, 744 billion cubic meters by then, the water gap 50 per cent. This gap would be driven by a rapid increase in demand for water for agriculture, coupled with a limited water supply and shortage infrastructure.

India is one of the world„s leading crop producers. Over the years, there has been an increase in water consumption in agricultural sector. The volume of water used for irrigation in India is expected to increase by 68.5 Trillion liters between 2000 and 2025. A number of demographic and economic factors are driving the use of water agricultural production. The rise in demand in domestic and export market for food grain is one important factor. India„s demand for food grain will grow from 178 MM mt in 2000 to 241MM mt by 2050. Change in the consumption pattern of agricultural products is also deriving increase in water usage. Demand for agricultural products with high water footprint is projected to rise with increased disposable income and urbanization. Contribution of non-food grain (Sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables etc.) and animal products in daily food intake for individual is expected to grow from 35 per cent in 2000 to 50 percent Rice; Wheat and Sugarcane together constituted nearly 90 per cent of India‟s crop production and are the most water consuming crops. India has the highest water footprints among the top rice and wheat producing country. Sates with highest production of rice/ wheat are expected to face groundwater depletion of up to 75% by 2050. Agriculturally based industries such as textiles, sugarcane and fertilizer are among the top producers of wastewater. Thus in totality water conservation and management in the agriculture sector hold the key to water security in India. Food security of India is closely linked to its water security. Studies suggest that irrigated agriculture has dominantly underlain the significant increase in food availability of India. During the last six decades, the gross irrigated area increased from 22 million hectares to 85.8 million hectares. Apart from agricultural sector, the industry and domestic sector consumes approximately 11 per cent of the available water in India. The drivers for the growth of the water- intensive industries in India have been primarily been multifaceted. FDI equity inflow in the industries sector has grown from $ 1.93 Bn in 2004-2008 to $17.68 Bn in 2007-08. Between 2006 and 2010, investment in infrastructure development was approximately 7.7 per cent of India‟s GDP. While the 11th plan projected that infrastructure investment has increased from $ 408 billion to $514 billion, it is expected to double tone of $ I trillion during 12th plan. Thermal power plants (the most water-intensive industries units), constituted 64.6% of the installed power capacity in India during 2010. Annual per capita consumption of power is expected to grow from 704.2 Kwh by 2012. About 75% of the total planned power capacity expansion is projected to come from thermal power. A combination of these above facts promises to put the necessary strain on the water resource. Industries water consumption is expected to quadruple to between 2000 and 2050; by 2050 industries, water consumption will reach 18 per cent of total annual water consumption, up from just 6 per cent in 2000. Industrial wastewater discharge causes pollution and reduces available freshwater reserves. Almost 6.2 Bn liters of untreated industrial wastewater is generated every day. Thermal power plants and steel plants are highest contributors to annual industrial wastewater discharge.

Several studies have projected the annual demand for water in India (Table.1). These projections strike the alarm for a relook at the water management police of country.

 Water conservation through development of watersheds and river basins, increase in storage capacity and linking of rivers;  Effective water use through improved irrigation systems, water efficient crops and recycling of waste water;  Prevention of water pollution by banning the discharge of untreated sewage and effluent in river, judicious use of agro-chemicals and regulation on over-exploitation of ground water;  Water resources management and distribution through PPP, metered water supply, pricing of water for sustainability;

India is not a water deficit country, but due to severe neglect and lack of monitoring of water resources development projects, several regions in the country experience water stress from time to time. Further neglect in this sector will lead to water scarcity during the next 1-2 decades. It is therefore necessary to prevent this crisis by making best use of the available technologies and resources to conserve the existing water resources, convert them into utilizable form and make efficient use of them for agriculture, industrial and introducing rewards and punishment to encourage judicious use of water, will be helpful to conserve water. Finally, awareness and orientation of all the water users to change their lifestyle to conserve water can help the country to tide over the water crisis in the future. The challenge is manageable provided we have favorable policies and mechanisms to persuade our people to change their lifestyle.

Amarasinghe, U. A., Shah, T., Turral, H. and Anand, B.K. (2007). “India‟s water future to 2025-2050: Business as usual scenario and deviations” Research Report 123, IWMI. 52pp. Govt. of India (2009). “Background note for consultation meeting with Policy makers on review of National Water Policy” Ministry of Water Resources. 50 pp. IDSA (2010). “Water Security for India: External dynamics”, IDSA Task Force Report. Singh Sachinder (2012). “The Neo-Liberal Game of Privatising Water”, National Geographical Journal of India, Vol.58, Pts.(3): pp. 89-98.

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography, G. C. Bhiwani