What do we know about Water and Impending Crisis

rkrishnay

·         Water is inextricably linked withevery aspect of sustenance of life. It is needed to ensure food security, feedlivestock, maintain organic life, and take up industrial production and toconserve bio-diversity and environment. However, with increase in demand andunsustainable use of available water, our country face crisis of food andwater. While 45% of agriculture land in India is rain fed, only 18% of rainwater is being used effectively whereas, the remaining reaches river and seasdue to lack of proper management. With regard to the water use efficiency inagriculture, India face challenges in ensuring water development initiativesdue to practices such as flood irrigation, improper water conservation measuresand cultivation of high water demanding crops. It is important to note thatground water provides 70% of water for irrigation and 80% of water for drinkingwater supplies.

F

Few of the Water Statistics of India

Indiaaccounts for only about 2.4 % of the world’s geographical area and 4 % of itswater resources, but has to support about 17 % of the world’s human populationand 15 % of the livestock.

·        In India out of 159.5 Million ha agriculture land, only 55 % gotirrigation. 45% land still is rain fed with average productivity less than 1.0MT. 85% Farming house hold have only 0.6 Ha average land holding (44.5% total landarea),

·        In India most of areas (>90%) receives more than 500 mmrainfall and up to 4000 mm in a year, but water crisis for drinking, domesticuse, cattle’s, cultural and irrigation is everywhere.

·        Groundwaterprovides about 70 percent of irrigation and 80 per cent of the drinking watersupplies.

Irrigationefficiencies from surface water sources varies in the range of 35 to 40% only,here as for ground water, it is about 65-75%. Out of total agricultural land inthe country

niya

water crisis is severe n a serious existential threat.if technology to use sea/ocean water as usable water is not developed n implemented
it can even lead to third world war as ground water is depleting fast n it won't last due to our ever increasing population as well as
ill planned water management n recycling  along with the mindless wastage that we often indulge in.

soothsayer

which leaves us fewer options-rejuvenate all neglected water bodies, resort to rainwater harvesting, recycle waste water and to what it takes to see that we do things to make the environment eco-friendly with optimal usage of water

surekh

Scandinavian countries have already inculcated nature conservation and water conservation in particular into their laws.. Water resources in densely populated fast growing economies like China and India are depleting at a faster rate than developed and underdeveloped countries. Makes one wonder about the sustainability of our enviro-economic paradigm

Chang Tikhak

With the Chinese building dams in tsang po river known as brahmaputra in North East India, water crisis is going to be a prominent issue in days to come for India and the North East that depends on brahmaputra for drinking water...