THE CONTEXT: Faced with depleting groundwater levels and a drought in the Cauvery basin, Karnataka is facing severe water crisis. The problem encompasses Mandya and Mysuru districts, where a major Cauvery River watershed and the Krishnaraja Sagar dam are located, and both are important sources of water to Bengaluru.
ISSUES:
- Failed monsoon: One of the reasons for the water crisis is failed monsoon with scarcity of rains in the year 2023 that has resulted in a major crisis, especially in the arid regions of north Karnataka. Erratic rainfall is not new to Karnataka. A Coffee Agro-forestry Network (CAFNET) project assessed 60 years of data and found the rainy season over Kodagu had shrunk by two weeks in three decades while annual rainfall seemed to undulate in a 12-14-year cycle.
- Shortage of water in Cauvery: Reports have suggested that the ‘insufficient’ rainfall in 2023 following the surplus in 2022 has resulted in under-replenishment of the Cauvery River.
- Wider crisis: Karnataka is facing one of its worst droughts in recent years. While Bengaluru’s water shortage has attracted national attention, the situation in other parts, especially north Karnataka, is particularly acute and the effects of the crisis are wider. The situation is worse further away from the city’s centre. This is ironic because these areas do not receive piped water from the Cauvery and depend on groundwater and water tankers.
- Crisis due to urbanisation: One of the major reasons for the crisis is rapid urbanisation which has left no space for thriving of natural ecosystem. For example, Seasonal lakes have since dwindled, while perennial lakes have been stifled by concretisation and sewage.
- Lack of preparation: The crisis now has aggravated due to Bengaluru’s lack of preparation, despite being one of India’s wealthiest urban municipalities and home to many research institutions.
- Issue with groundwater: Bengaluru consumes roughly 1,400 million litres a day each from the Cauvery and groundwater reserves. The groundwater recharge rate is much lower while the Cauvery’s was compromised by last year’s ‘deficient’ rain.
- Climate change: Climate change is a crisis of time as it leads to non-linear changes that lead to disproportionate, and irreversible, outcomes, forcing underprepared governments to mount rapid responses to issues that have been building up for decades.
WHAT KARNATAKA GOVT IS DOING TO OVERCOME WATER CRISIS?
- To address this pressing issue, the state government has devised a plan involving the utilization of milk tankers from the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) to transport water to Bengaluru.
- Additionally, the government intends to take control of private borewells within the city and its vicinity.
- Chief Minister of Karnataka announced in the 2024-2025 budget speech the commencement of Phase-5 of the Cauvery project in a bid to alleviate the water shortage. The ambitious project aims to provide 110 litres of drinking water daily to 12 lakh people, with an allocated budget of Rs 5,550 crore.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Invent new water conservation technologies: In areas where aquifers are drying up and rainwater is increasingly unpredictable, there is a need for innovation. To cope with freshwater scarcity there is a need to develop conservation technologies.
- Promote Water Conservation: Implementing water conservation measures at individual, community, and national levels is crucial. This includes promoting rainwater harvesting, efficient irrigation techniques, and minimising water wastage in domestic, industrial, and agricultural sectors.
- Invest in Infrastructure: There is a need for adequate financial resources for water infrastructure development, maintenance, and rehabilitation. For this innovative financing mechanisms such as public-private partnerships, water tariffs, and user fees to mobilise funding for water projects needs to be implemented.
- Improve irrigation and agricultural practices: There is a need to promote sustainable agriculture by encouraging farmers to adopt water-efficient farming practices such as drip irrigation, precision agriculture, crop rotation, and agroforestry. Providing incentives and subsidies for implementing water-saving technologies can facilitate this transition.
- Community-based governance and partnerships: There is a need to ensure more effective governance at the grassroots-level. It gives communities ability to implement effective policy changes on a state and national scale.
- Develop and enact better policies and regulations: As water scarcity complicates food security and pollution, governments need to redefine their role and enact better policies and regulations.
THE CONCLUSION:
To effectively address the issue of water scarcity there is a need for holistic management and urgent legislation for restoration of natural water resources. By fostering inclusive participation from all stakeholders and implementing sound policies that prioritise long-term sustainability over short-term gains, India can pave the way towards a sustainable future to ensure access to safe and reliable groundwater.
UPSC PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
Q.1 Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation system to make its judicious use under the depleting scenario. (2020)
Q.2 Climate change, overexploitation, and policy measures have combinedly turned India into a water-stressed economy. Discuss. (2021)
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Q.1 Depletion of water resources due to overuse and decline in water supplies due to climate change is pushing India closer to the tipping point of water scarcity. Discuss this statement in light of recent water shortages in Karnataka.
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