WATER RESOURCES
India possesses 4% of the world's water resources and 16% of its population. Total water availability from precipitation is around 4,000 cubic km, with 1,869 cubic km from surface water and replenishable groundwater. Utilizable water resource stands at 1,122 cubic km, with only 60% available for beneficial use.
Surface Water Resources
- Major sources include rivers, lakes, ponds, and tanks.
- India has approximately 10,360 rivers and their tributaries, with the mean annual flow estimated at 1,869 cubic km.
- Only about 32% of available surface water can be utilized due to various constraints.
Groundwater Resources
- Total replenishable groundwater resources amount to about 432 cubic km.
- High utilization in northwestern and parts of southern India, particularly in states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu.
- Some states underutilize their groundwater potential, while others exploit it moderately.
Lagoons and Backwaters
- India's vast coastline leads to the formation of numerous lagoons and lakes.
- States like Kerala, Odisha, and West Bengal have substantial surface water resources in these bodies, primarily used for fishing and irrigation of specific crops.
Water Demand and Utilization
- Historically agrarian economy; irrigation development has been a priority, with projects like Bhakra-Nangal and Hirakud.
- Agriculture dominates water usage, accounting for 89% of surface water and 92% of groundwater utilization.
- Industrial and domestic sectors have relatively smaller shares, but their demands are expected to rise with development.
Demand for Water for Irrigation
- Irrigation is crucial due to rainfall variability and dry spells, particularly in deficient rainfall areas.
- Water-intensive crops like rice, sugarcane, and jute necessitate irrigation.
- Irrigation enables multiple cropping and supports high-yielding crop varieties, contributing to agricultural productivity.
Emerging Water Problems
- Per capita water availability is decreasing due to population growth.
- Water resources are increasingly polluted by industrial, agricultural, and domestic effluents, limiting usable water availability.
1. Deterioration of Water Quality
Water quality refers to the purity of water without unwanted foreign substances. Pollutants such as micro-organisms, chemicals, and industrial, and other wastes degrade water quality, making it unfit for human use. Pollutants can enter water bodies like lakes, rivers, and oceans, affecting aquatic ecosystems and groundwater.
- Impact of Pollutants: Pollutants can dissolve or remain suspended in water, causing pollution and deteriorating water quality. Highly polluted rivers in India include the Ganga and the Yamuna.
- Water Conservation and Management: With declining freshwater availability and increasing demand, conservation and effective management are crucial for sustainable development. Conservation efforts include watershed development, rainwater harvesting, water recycling, and conjunctive water use.
- Prevention of Water Pollution: Rivers suffer from pollution due to agricultural, domestic, and industrial effluents. Efforts like monitoring water quality, implementing pollution control laws, and public awareness are essential to prevent pollution. Groundwater pollution is also a concern due to high concentrations of heavy/toxic metals, fluoride, and nitrates.
- Legislative Measures: Acts like the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and the Environment Protection Act 1986 aim to control pollution but need better implementation. Public awareness plays a crucial role in reducing pollutants from various sources like agriculture and industries.
- Recycle and Reuse of Water: Recycling and reusing water, especially reclaimed wastewater, can improve freshwater availability. Practices like using wastewater for industrial purposes, gardening, and washing vehicles can conserve better-quality water for drinking purposes. There is significant potential for expanding water recycling practices to replenish water resources effectively.
2. Watershed Management
Watershed management encompasses the efficient management and conservation of surface and groundwater resources. Its goals include preventing runoff, storing water, recharging groundwater, and promoting overall resource conservation within a watershed.
- Components of Watershed Management: Methods like percolation tanks, recharge wells, and other structures are used to prevent runoff and store water for various purposes. It involves conservation, regeneration, and sustainable use of natural resources such as land, water, plants, and animals, along with human resources within the watershed.
- Balancing Natural Resources and Society: Watershed management aims to achieve a balance between natural resources and societal needs. This includes ensuring water availability for drinking, irrigation, fisheries, afforestation, and other essential purposes.
- Role of Community Participation: Success in watershed development largely depends on active community participation. Projects like Haryali involve Gram Panchayats and local communities in conserving water resources.
- Government and NGO Initiatives: Both Central and State Governments, along with non-governmental organizations, have initiated various watershed development and management programs across the country. Examples include the Haryali project, the Neeru-Meeru program in Andhra Pradesh, and Arvary Pani Sansad in Alwar, Rajasthan, focusing on water harvesting structures and community involvement.
- Successes and Challenges: While some watershed development projects have been successful in revitalizing the environment and economy, many are still in the early stages. Awareness campaigns are necessary to highlight the benefits of watershed development and management, ensuring sustainable water availability for the future.
Watershed Development in Ralegan Siddhi: A Case Study
Ralegan Siddhi is a small village located in the Ahmadnagar district of Maharashtra. It has gained recognition as a model for watershed development initiatives across India. In 1975, the village was plagued by poverty and illicit liquor trade. The transformation began when retired army personnel settled in the village and spearheaded watershed development efforts.
Key Initiatives
- Villagers were educated about the importance of family planning, voluntary labour, and the need to curtail activities like open grazing, tree felling, and liquor trade.
- Villagers contributed voluntary labour to minimize dependence on government financial aid, socializing the costs of projects.
- Work commenced with the construction of a percolation tank, initially unsuccessful but later repaired by villagers, leading to improved water availability.
- A youth group, Tarun Mandal, worked to abolish the dowry system, caste discrimination, and untouchability. Liquor distilling units were removed, and open grazing was banned, with a shift towards stall-feeding.
- Water-intensive crops like sugarcane were replaced with pulses, oilseeds, and low-water requirement cash crops.
- Elections to local bodies were based on consensus, and informal courts (Nyay Panchayats) were established, reducing reliance on police intervention.
Infrastructure and Self-Reliance
- A school building worth Rs. 22 lakh was constructed solely using village resources, without external donations.
- A culture of self-reliance emerged, with villagers borrowing money when needed and repaying it promptly.
- A system of communal labour evolved, with villagers supporting each other in agricultural operations and providing employment to landless labourers.
Current Status and Challenges
- Presently, Ralegan Siddhi enjoys adequate water resources, and agriculture thrives, albeit with high usage of fertilizers and pesticides.
- The village faces the challenge of sustaining the momentum of development, particularly after the departure of its influential leader.
Future Prospects
- Despite challenges, Ralegan Siddhi remains committed to its evolution as an ideal village.
- The village anticipates presenting a new model to the country as it adapts to changing times and continues its journey towards sustainable development.
3. Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting involves capturing and storing rainwater for various purposes, including recharging groundwater aquifers. It is a cost-effective and eco-friendly technique that preserves water by directing rainwater to borewells, pits, and wells.
Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting
- Harvesting rainwater helps increase water availability, especially in regions facing water scarcity.
- It checks the declining groundwater table by replenishing aquifers.
- Rainwater dilutes contaminants like fluoride and nitrates, thus improving groundwater quality.
- It helps prevent soil erosion and flooding by capturing rainwater and reducing surface runoff.
- In coastal areas, rainwater harvesting can help arrest saltwater intrusion by recharging aquifers.
Traditional and Modern Methods
- Communities in rural areas have been practising rainwater harvesting using surface storage bodies like lakes, ponds, and irrigation tanks.
- Urban areas are adopting rainwater harvesting on rooftops and open spaces to decrease dependence on groundwater and bridge the demand-supply gap.
Scope and Scale of Implementation
- Rainwater harvesting has a wide scope for conservation efforts, especially in regions facing water scarcity. Its adoption can reduce community dependence on groundwater for domestic use and save energy required for pumping groundwater.
- Many states in the country are undertaking rainwater harvesting projects on a large scale, recognizing its potential to address water shortages, especially in urban areas.
- Solutions like desalination of water in coastal areas and transferring water from surplus to deficit areas through river interlinking projects can complement rainwater harvesting efforts.
- Pricing of water is crucial from the perspective of individual users, households, and communities, impacting water conservation and management efforts.
4. Highlights of India’s National Water Policy, 2002
The policy outlines water allocation priorities, with emphasis placed on Drinking water, Irrigation, Hydro-power, Navigation, Industrial and other uses.
- Irrigation and multi-purpose projects are mandated to include a drinking water component, especially where alternative sources of drinking water are lacking.
- Ensuring access to drinking water for all human beings and animals is designated as the primary priority.
- Measures are prescribed to limit and regulate the exploitation of groundwater resources to ensure sustainability.
- Both surface and groundwater resources are to be regularly monitored for quality, with a phased programme initiated for enhancing water quality.
- Strategies are proposed to improve the efficiency of water utilization across diverse sectors and applications.
- Foster awareness regarding water scarcity as a valuable resource.
- Promote conservation consciousness through education, regulation, incentives, and disincentives.
5. Jal Kranti Abhiyan (2015-16)
Water, a recyclable resource, faces constraints in availability, with the gap between supply and demand projected to widen over time. India, with its high population growth and rapid economic development, experiences significant water demand. Climate change exacerbates water stress conditions globally, necessitating proactive measures for water security.
Objectives
- The Jal Kranti Abhiyan, launched in 2015-16 by the Government of India, aims to ensure water security by enhancing the per capita availability of water in the country.
- Emphasizes leveraging traditional knowledge of water conservation and management for sustainable water availability.
Involvement and Awareness
- Involves local bodies, NGOs, and citizens to create awareness about the objectives of the initiative.
- Utilizes various channels like social media, radio, TV, print media, and competitions in schools for mass awareness.
Proposed Activities
- Establishment of 'Jal Gram': Selection of one water-stressed village in each of the 672 districts to develop a model village for water conservation and management.
- Identification of Model Command Areas: Selection of model command areas covering approximately 1000 hectares in different regions of the country, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Odisha, and Meghalaya.
- Abatement of Pollution" Implementation of measures such as:
- Water conservation and artificial recharge techniques.
- Reduction of groundwater pollution.
- Construction of arsenic-free wells in selected areas.
- Creating Mass Awareness: Conducting campaigns through social media, radio, TV, and print media, and organizing poster and essay writing competitions in schools.
- Objective of Livelihood and Food Security: The Jal Kranti Abhiyan aims to provide livelihood and food security by ensuring water security, thereby supporting sustainable development efforts.
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Previous Year Questions 1. With reference to agricultural soils, consider the following statements: (upsc 2018)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Answer: B 2. Which of the following is/are the advantage/advantages of practising drip irrigation? (UPSC 2016)
Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) None of the above is an advantage of practising drip irrigation Answer: C 3. What are the significances of a practical approach to sugarcane production known as 'Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative'? (UPSC 2014)
Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 1, 2 and 4 only (c) 2, 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Answer: B Mains 1. In what way can floods be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India? (upsc 2017) |
